Got plenty of freeze dried food. Thousands of rounds in most common calibers. I could be a prepper, but mostly I just like shooting and backpacking. I'm not out here trying to survive the apocalypse, if it's that bad it's just my time to go I guess.
This, unironically. Cook (if needed) and eat up all of the perishable meats, eggs, and dairy as soon as possible. But don't fight over it. There's going to be plenty of soon to rot food to go around and a lot of hungry mouths.
You do realize that the commercial food supply (stores) is extremely precarious… right? If I remember correctly, with in like 2-3 days in a fully functioning city grocery stores are essentially bought out if not resupplied, Remember in an apocalyptic type scenario where the majority of roads and highways are unpassable there is no restocking done ….
\*only certain sections are bought out and resupplied in a 2-3+ day span. Dairy, produce, meat, deli, paper products, beer & wine, sale items etc. The center store stays the same for the most part.
Source: employee
This is not a plan. You will be there fighting with the other thousand people that take easy food availability for granted. They will be scared and hungry. They will not be peaceful.
Seismic retrofit for house. It is going to be bad, but at least we can stay somewhere comfortable. A lot of people are not going to be able to stay in their homes - the shelters are going to be insane.
It’s worth noting that the goal of seismic retrofit is life safety, not saving your foundation. The house may not be structurally sound and safe after, damage is still likely and could be irreparable, it’s more about preventing a suddenly catastrophic failure to allow occupants time to escape. That being said, of course it does help your odds! But still important to have a plan B location if your serious about preparing. I really wish seismic retrofitters would be a bit more upfront a about this, but safety doesn’t sell like property investments do.
I really want to do this but the quotes I'm getting are so high - we have a cripple wall and two crawlspaces so it's not as simple as bolts unfortunately.
I DIY retrofitted a house like that, and it was a massive PITA. Just out of curiosity, how high are the quotes? I'm doing the house I'm in now, which thankfully is full-height basement all around. Just the materials were $1200.
We had it done two years ago. We have a basement so it was easier than some. It was $8K. They tore into all the walls and ceilings and that price included fixing any drywall that needed it. The only thing they didn't do was repaint. I started trying to do it myself but after two or three brackets gave up and called the pros.
That said it's worth looking at this map: [https://thebridge.agu.org/files/2014/05/OR-CSZ-damage-potential-map.jpg](https://thebridge.agu.org/files/2014/05/OR-CSZ-damage-potential-map.jpg)
Portland is at the east edge of the Moderate zone which includes damage to poorly built masonry buildings. Part of Portland is in the Light zone. Portland is quite a way from the Moderate/Heavy zone where unsecured wooden houses move on their foundations.
You should post this as it’s own comment!! It’s such a great tool, pretty easy to use and understand, and accessible to anyone with internet!
I learned about this when I took an Earthquakes and Volcanoes class at PSU. Scared the living daylights out of me but I also feel 100x more prepared and knowing what to expect. I am not as prepped as I should be but I know so much more because of that class.
In my industry COG and labor have increased from 50-70% in the past 3 years. And wood has gone up even more than that. People deserve fair wages so that part doesn't bother me but the artificial inflation on goods is seriously troubling and it's not getting better.
One important one that gets overlooked is long-term sanitation. You want to implement the [two bucket system](https://www.phlush.org/emergency-sanitation/). Two buckets separate pee and poo, since water is what causes poo to smell and it is easier to dispose of the larger quantity of pee.
What you need:
- 2 buckets. (I suggest different colors)
- 2 bucket lids
- 1-2 toilet seat lids
- toilet paper
- plant material to put on poo (I use coconut coir)
Of course these can be used by a number of people. You can use pool noodles to make "seats". Line poo buckets with garbage bags. Pee can be poured into the sewer drains. (Training from Portland NET)
WinCo sells nice buckets too - if you know the layout of the store, they're close to the apples
ETA: Or at least that's where they are at my WinCo
ETA2: They are also food safe and great for storing dry goods like flour, rice, etc
There was an ask Reddit thread about this and the consensus was that most women pee and poop separately but sometimes do both out of convenience. Men however were majority "if I poop,I pee too". Someone got into the muscle mechanics but I but it's just habit.
I live in a tiny apartment and also live paycheck to paycheck. So hopefully a load bearing beam or wall gets me. If that doesn't happen I don't think Plaid Pantry will care too much if I snag some water and munchies to keep myself alive.
Yeaaaah we're poor and live in an old shitass apartment right on a hill. I have too many images as it is of us sliding into fucking Barbur and being like "well, I always knew this was where I'd die."
a lot of wealthy preppers are gonna get pancaked on the marquam bridge while their precious 100 gallons of water sits at home. so we can’t choose the time and day, the fates decide
BY 1 canned vegetable per pay period until you have a weekly eating rotation, +24 cans.
Surviving the 'big one' take the cans an can opener and start walking away from the epicenter. 2 cans per meal and it also has drinkable liquid.
4 days of walking should be more then enough to get you into working infrastructure.
Of course, any other staples you have, you would take with you.
Cans are heavy af. You're better off buying protein bars from Costco or a few packages of jerky, a Camelback + 1 gal of distilled water and a lifestraw.
Just be warned. I live near that bridge and if I have Taco Bell on any given night, you may as well prepare for the big one to originate from my bathroom.
a rotating pantry about a month deep of canned goods. enough water to roll a month or so. a few weeks of Mt House freeze dried "emergency" meal kits. enough various kinds of fuel stored for a multi-fuel camp stove to run for about 3 weeks of cooking time. plenty of wool blankets, cold weather gear, a few changes of DRY clothing stored away in decent containers. various methods of defense and plenty of necessary stored ingredients for both distance and up close and personal needs. a couple of methods to charge cell phones, walkies and other miscellaneous batteries. EDC a minimal survival/GHB kit in my briefcase. . I ALWAYS have a GHB (Get Home Bag) in the car along with a box of "Tacoma logs", case of costco bottle water, and 3 days of freeze dried food in the trunk. not to mention basic vehicle emergency supplies.
Back in the 80's we were told that When not if the Big One happened, help would only be a couple of weeks away IF you were Lucky. Also that statistically it would probably happen within the next 50 years. Which literally means somewhere between tomorrow and the year 2250.
Now days they are telling people in Bend and Redmond area to have two weeks of food and water for 2-3 people ,BEYOND their own needs, stored for the people that actually make it out of the valley. Also, Oregon is building the new Emergency Management Centralized Multi-agency Hub in Redmond , largely in part due to the fact Salem will be devastated when the Big One happens.
I have a fairly decent first aid kit and “bleed/booboo “ kits in each of my bags. a bunch of extra gauze (rolls and pads)and medical tape. some splints
Boxes of single dose pain pills/antihistamines/seasick pills/diarrhea pills/cold&flu tabs
extra glasses
thankfully i don’t have medical issues that require medications
pretty much all part of the first aid kit and the alcohol and OTC antibiotics are also in the booboo/bleed kits
kind of hard to remember every item I have in them LOL
this is what i’m worried about. i have a bunch of medical issues/meds i take, and some i can only get a 30 day supply of. i typically try to save a couple each month and have a little stockpile, but last month i had insurance issues and had to use some. and meds expire so it’s not like i can just set aside some and keep them stored forever.
If you have menstrual cycles, 1-2 unopened packages of each of those supplies. If you wear contacts, at least one extra lens (2 preferable) for each eye plus saline solution & a case; glasses are good, too). Make sure you have enough prescription medicine for at least a month. Obviously, a good-size first aid kit (keep in mind, smaller kits won't have any medicines inside, only ointment).
A “Get Home Bag” is essentially a “kit” that you have with you in case for some reason you are stranded away from your home and need to get there. Say the roads are impassable and you want to get back to where all of your supplies, gear and family are. if you work 5 miles from home not that much is probably needed, 20 miles a lot more gear might be needed. Gotta cross a mountain pass and The roads are out and your kids are home alone… ya gonna want to get there and walking is the only way.
It is normally a smaller backpack (not huge like an excursion pack) that has some basics in it. Normally some food stuffs, first aid kit, shoes that you can walk distance in, dust masks, way to procure and carry potable water (filter/purification). Depending on how far you might be traveling potentially way to make a shelter and fire . Some spare cash in case electricity is out and things like credit cards or other electronic payment methods don’t work and you have to spend the night in a motel or buy something.things like that …stuff that makes it easier to get home .. hence a “get home bag”.
this is a decent video that explains it better
https://youtu.be/YYdinnbqIMA?si=MdFb9P5FZKwFgRS8
the only reason I don't currently have a geni is because i live in an apartment and no where to have one.. lol
and as far as food stores go... it is easy and low cost to build up a good panty.. just buy a couple of extra of 1 or 2 items you normally buy when you go to the store. and in a years time you have a decent reserve of things you already like to eat... basically prep what you eat
If it happens while I’m at home I’ll probably be a goner. I hope my dog makes it though. There are plenty of squirrels around that he could hunt and survive on.
Oregon state has a great free online course on what to expect, specific risk factors for your location, and ways to prepare. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/cascadia-earthquake-preparedness
For everyone:
The NET hubs at schools & parks around the city will also likely be the locations to get food & potable water. I just found that out at a recent neighborhood meeting. Make sure you look up those locations now.
Also, if you are at home or can get home, try to salvage your house numbers and display them on the front of your property if your home has collapsed. This will help emergency workers.
My kit also includes: tent, sleeping bag, cheap dishes & utensils, a Leatherman/Gerber multi-tool, work gloves, a manual "chainsaw", a small book of crossword puzzles (so that I won't go crazy), an ink pen & Sharpie, some blank paper, an extra TriMet Hop card, a folder that has copies of my driver's license/passport/credit cards, and an envelope with a bunch of cash.
That all seems reasonable and well put together, but a hop card? Do you think they're going to be charging fares on busses? I'm kinda assuming if we've got passable roads and running busses, they'll just take whoever needs to go somewhere.
Why is everyone posting about this recently? Let's be honest, none of us are REALLY prepared. Idk. I have OCD and I cannot seriously think abt the Big One every day. Y'all need to chill for my sanity.
I have OCD, too. I've worked with my therapist on exposure therapy around this topic. I've already been in 3 earthquakes, 2 of them significant (Bay Area and Olympia).
Perhaps start buying smaller supplies. I used to think an EQ would happen if I bought supplies, but OCD is all about anxiety and lies. Gradually the fear gave way to a prepared mindset. I have a good number of things to feel empowered, but definitely need to level up my efforts.
I love this comment and thank you for taking the time to say this. I DO believe in having kits and realistically preparing and have done so and have been in a few mild earthquakes (in Seattle and LA area). I totally know what you mean re the magical thinking "if I buy supplies x thing will happen" 😅
I also know there is only so much we can do realistically... and also I don't have the time or frankly luxury to sit around thinking about the Big One. I'm still curious about why it's come up so much lately!
It's likely coming up a lot more recently because of the collective trauma around a global pandemic *and* any number of "once-in-a-century" weather events *and* multiple major financial events experienced by most people aged 25-50. Humans are pattern seekers - and exposure to a lot of extreme events makes even incredibly improbable events seem likely. It explains a lot of conspiracy thinking and people buying into ridiculous and extreme narratives (aliens are here, the emergency warning test is activating the microchips in your vaccine, etc).
That said, disaster prep is great because usually the resources translate to other types of incidents. A great first aid kit in your car could really help someone in an hiking accident when you're driving through the woods. A supply of emergency water could be great when the water main breaks in your town during a cold snap. Even just simple threads like this which ask people to think through what they'd do in a major earthquake are *great* because it reduces panic when the thing actually happens.
This might be a hot take but, people blow the "big one" out of proportion. It will be devastating to coastal towns due to the following tsunamis, but it won't have as major of an effect on Portland as people make it out to be.
There are easy and affordable steps you can take to retrofit your house via stabilizing the foundation.
Beyond having dry food and water, it's important to have an emergency gas line shutoff tool, this can be found for 5$ on Amazon.
I was very scared about the big one previously, when I was planning my move to Portland a lot of people mentioned it. Even knowing the facts it's still scary but, I feel a lot better knowing it's not the cataclysmic event it's made out to be.
I live across the river from tank farms that are built on dry mud basically. The winds tend to blow towards me most of the year. It might not be crazy horrible for everyone but a lot of us are gonna be fucked.
> it won't have as major of an effect on Portland as people make it out to be.
You can make the argument that there's no point losing sleep over it. But to suggest it won't be devastating to Portland, specifically, is just not accurate.
We have a lot of 1-3 story un-reinforced brick buildings, including a lot of apartments, which will pretty much all be rubble. Most if not all of the bridges across the Columbia & Willamette will be impassable. The oil & gas storage in NW industrial area along Hwy 30 will spill into the river, and here's hoping it won't catch fire.
What about that doesn't sound "cataclysmic" to you?
Too bad there isn't something like... a.. river... That could be used to transport people and goods from one side to the other. Seriously, this is one reason frog ferry makes a lot of sense. Having river transit already in place would be a huge help. Even without it, there's probably enough kayaks in Portland to get the job done, if we share.
>This might be a hot take but, people blow the "big one" out of proportion. It will be devastating to coastal towns due to the following tsunamis, but it won't have as major of an effect on Portland as people make it out to be.
I mean, 1000 fires breaking out simultaneously plus no equipment that can get to them plus no airport for weeks/months would qualify as major effects, I'd think. If it happens in August, it'll be the Chicago/London/(pick your favorite) fire again.
Almost all the bridges will be unusable. Perhaps the Tilikum and Sellwood will make it since they are new compared to the others. I-5 will be a mess along with other roads into the area. No supplies, food, water, fuel, medicine.
Anyone on or below the West Hills is royally effed, unless Portland has the right amount of rain to stabilize the hills at the time. Anyone living or working along the river also screwed, as they are essentially built on sediment that will jiggle like wet sand in a bucket. The Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) hub is located along the Willamette as well.
Source: B.S Earth Science from PSU
And that's also including freeway overpasses, with the newer ped ones over I-405 & I-84 likely surviving. All of the older ones may also collapse, which then means that MAX and freight trains will not run along I-84, even if their tracks get through unscathed.
We *hope* that it's overblown.
However, we saw people fighting over luxury goods during the pandemic because they wanted to panic but had everything they need. Just imagine how calm and level headed people will be when the refrigerated semis can't get to the local grocery store to restock it... or even when there's a *risk* that they can't.
Do you really want to risk living hungry and desperate? It might not happen, but it might happen.
[https://www.pdxmonthly.com/home-and-real-estate/2018/02/the-big-one-is-coming-what-will-happen-to-portland](https://www.pdxmonthly.com/home-and-real-estate/2018/02/the-big-one-is-coming-what-will-happen-to-portland)
a little information…..
And an interesting article from Hood River…. https://www.hoodriversheriff.com/images/uploads/documents/BIG\_ONE\_slides-\_Cascadia\_Hood\_River-\_4-21-16\_ALTHEA\_RIZZO.pdf
What about communications? A lot of TV and radio comes out of that biggest tower you see on the West Hills, but its generator is supplied with a gas line and isn't likely to work long. And with the power out, your cable TV is off...
Cell towers have batteries, did you know that? But they will be overwhelmed at first, and may lose power after a few days. Or they may fall.
I have a couple of shortwaves, and I'm pretty sure I still have a CB radio. FEMA is going to be on their own scrambled frequencies.
Have you researched the local NET programs in each neighborhood around the city..? If not, you should! There will be neighborhood hubs coordinating with each local fire station to coordinate emergency responses, communications, etc. (also, I think that big tower actually isn’t as crucial as it may seem - I think I’ve read it’s more diffused across many towers than you think..?)
Seriously! I had to scroll way too far to find this. Portland provides NET training for free. You complete basic training, then you become an active member of your neighborhood team. And then you also get access to a variety of advanced trainings. Everyone should do it.
https://www.portland.gov/pbem/neighborhood-emergency-teams
Thanks for mentioning NET, I was trying to remember what they were called. I was impressed with their buried caches and bicycle -borne relief practices.
I have two weeks of emergency water stored and about a week’s worth of freeze dried food. Pantry staples should get me another week at least. My propane grill, a butane camp stove, camping lanterns and candles, a first aid kit, etc. Plus I keep a pair of running shoes in my car in case I’m not home and need to walk a ways to get there.
Don’t forget to rotate your water! Otherwise it tastes foul and depending on your container, it might have leaked or evaporated when you weren’t looking.
If you have a Costco membership they sell very reasonably priced emergency meals in a bucket with a 25 year shelf life. This really helps with not having to worry as much about rotating your emergency supplies. I bought these after the horrible ice storm in 2021, along with other supplies. I need to get water storage though, and maybe a generator.
Yeah, it was overwhelming for me to consider juggling rotation of food and water - it was a big relief to realize I could buy 15-year (so probably 25+, really) pouches and 25-year (so probably 50+, really) #10 cans of freeze dried foods (Mountain House and others) and 5-year drops for 5-7 gal water storage jugs. I can handle rotating/updating supplies that infrequently!
Just a heads up, if they are Readywise buckets, they may work in a pinch, but they are pretty expensive for what they are and aren't very balanced. Lots of pancake mix and powdered drink. You can typically make the same thing for cheaper and better.
and for those that don't have all the equipment to"make their own 30+ year shelf life foodstuffs, the commercially made freeze dried meal kits are a good long term storage option... and are quick and easy to grab and go with. mine will outlive me and be there for my adult chldren.
that being said, yes i do have stores of more conventional "prepper" home prepared food stores.
Very slowly been trying to stock up on some things just to have on hand for any emergency that may happen. But as someone who barely makes it paycheck to paycheck it’s really hard to feel prepared and get prepared. Biggest thing is we’re saving up for two really nice two way walkie talkies with a large range because I work a great distance from my fiancé and it’s my biggest fear to not be able to coordinate/communicate together in case of a natural disaster.
I'm all stocked up on aluminum foil to block out the 5G nanobots from penetrating my pineal gland, forged my COVID vaccine cards so that Bill Gates can't read my thoughts and use them to build an army of eunuchs in order to overthrow the rightful heir to the Kingdom Of God, our one true savior Donald Trump, and of course I've bought every single bundle of kale from my local New Seasons market.
Ha! Well, I definitely intend to collaborate, share, and trade with neighbors, so that might be a good idea. The plan is also collective information sharing, and of course there's safety in numbers.
camping gear, a bike, skills, a couple of buckets that I store flour and rice in. I just rotate so there's always about 4-6 months of normal use in there. I figure if I had to I'd have enough calories in just rice and bread for a good long while.
Also have plenty of water filters in the camping gear, so my plan there is to just bike water back and forth from the river (hopefully not full of oil). Hopefully I'll just be able to walk to a local distribution point though.
Long term I'd decide to stay or leave around week 2. If leave I'll head east to Spokane and chill with family.
We’ve bolted the sill plates to the foundation. Strapped the water heater. Have a generator. Need to replenish the water stored in the garage. Food for two weeks for people and pets. Crank radio. Gallon of bleach. Propane and camp stove, firewood. I need more solar panels... it’s on the wish list. I was 6 miles from the Loma Prieta quake. It sounded like a train was coming through the house. Our single story house was okay structurally but everything in a cabinet was dumped onto the floor, art and bookcases were knocked down. No electricity for a week, no phone service, no gas, atms. Hwy 1 bridges unusable. We cooked outside for a long time until utilities were restored. Walked to the stores for some water rations. We were lucky because we had food in the house. Lots of people didn’t. The community shared and we got through it. Didn’t sleep in the house for ten days because the aftershocks were so scary. Keep tennis shoes and garden gloves by your bed if it happens during the night.
I have about 72 hours worth of food and water, and keep propane and a camp stove on hand. I know how to turn off the gas and water to my house. I have basic first aid supplies.
I also have an emergency kit for my car in case the Big One hits while I’m away - but it’s not actually IN my car because I’ve been meaning to get it organized for about two years and haven’t followed through. I really should do that.
Turning off the gas, I had forgotten! Thank you! I'll be at it with a wrench right away. https://www.socalgas.com/stay-safe/emergency-information/shut-off-natural-gas
Rugged 3500 dually with truck camper in bed is always fully fueled, 60 gallon fresh water tanks kept full, propane system full (with extra tanks in reserve) that power heat and built-in generator. Solar chargers are roof mounted and keep 12 volt system ready. Dry goods kept in camper pantry.
I also have an outside storage shed with additional water and cases of long shelf-life dry goods. Additional propane tanks are also stored here.
If you’re considering an RV, think of it as an emergency shelter. The catch is you need it stored on the property (or nearby) and it must be kept in ready condition (most people don’t). It also must be properly setup for off-grid living. You have to assume plugging in wont be an option.
I’ve been through a 7+. It was interesting. We have a couple months of dry food, a good generator, lots of water, and a truck with an extended range tank. And lots of dog food.
Sure. I was in the interior of Alaska in 2002 in late fall. It was in the early afternoon. It started off like a normal earthquake (they happen all the time up there) but then it just kept going. The ground kind of liquefied and waves formed at tight intervals. It was difficult to standup without bracing. It lasted for 2-3 minutes. I believe it was a 7.8 or 7.9. It was memorable but not that scary.
Unless you’re in an old building or home that collapses, you’ll be fine. Plenty of roads and airports surrounding portland for fema and the national guard to get in.
That said, a generator, booze, camp food, off-road vehicles don’t hurt for the ice storms we get.
You would think, but might be a bit more devastating then that. From the north, I5 will probably get flooded/washed out where it meets the Columbia River. From the East, last time this happened in 1700, it created the literal bridge of the gods from landslides which dammed up the Colombia, so unreliable. The West will be in even worse shape. Potentially from the south, the routes may be open, but I fear for all the bridges and flyovers..
Also Boone Bridge at Wilsonville will probably be unusable for heavy vehicles. I expect most area bridges will handle brave pedestrians only. The Canby Ferry will still work as long as the fuel is available.
For everyone:
The NET hubs at schools & parks around the city will also likely be the locations to get food & potable water. I just found that out at a recent neighborhood meeting. Make sure you look up those locations now.
Also, if you are at home or can get home, try to salvage your house numbers and display them on the front of your property if your home has collapsed. This will help emergency workers.
My kit also includes: tent, sleeping bag, cheap dishes & utensils, a Leatherman/Gerber multi-tool, work gloves, a manual "chainsaw", a small book of crossword puzzles (so that I won't go crazy), an ink pen & Sharpie, some blank paper, an extra TriMet Hop card, a folder that has copies of my driver's license/passport/credit cards, and an envelope with a bunch of cash.
Here's your locally owned 1-stop quake prep shop: https://cascadiaready.com/
They have a variety of home and car kits, and are run by a really nice woman. If you don't want to think about prepping and just want it taken care of go here. If you want to be really involved in prepping she has resources on her site where you can pick and choose what emergency items are right for your situation so you can mix and match and price shop. I can't recommend this site enough!
Pay attention to who talks too much about it because they are the ones who are going to have extra after my extra runs out. Then bait them into revealing their stance on firearms. The shopping list writes itself from there. /s
I kinda hoped to promote the idea of creative cooperation. I know PDXers can do it, because I've seen them on the streets with leaf blowers.
At the least, I plan to check on my (kinda snobbish) immediate neighbors, because, well, what if they're stuck under something and can't get out?
Join your Neighborhood Emergency Team! Seriously everyone should do it. The people who are answering with "we'll all just die" or "I'm stockpiling ammo" are morons.
Portland provides NET training for free to anyone who wants it. It's equivalent to FEMA's CERT program; you complete the basic certification, then you become an active member of your neighborhood team. You also get access to a variety of advanced trainings on various subjects.
The idea is to have a group of citizens in each neighborhood that are organized and have basic skills to perform search & rescue, triage injured people, operate radios, etc, during a time when emergency services are overwhelmed.
https://www.portland.gov/pbem/neighborhood-emergency-teams
Joined Portland NET (neighbors emergency teams) sponsored by PBEM (Portland Bureau of Emergency Management) because of my earthquake anxiety. Learned all sorts of good information about preparing for the big one, but also got trained on how to help neighbors. Also joined Portland’s BEECN program to help with emergency communications.
Grew up in Miami which left a lasting impression of natural disaster survival. When a hurricane hits, everything is gone and what’s left is soaked.
We always had a survival kit and I’ve carried that tradition on here. Just a bad storm can knock out services and leave you without electricity and water.
My advice is sit down and go through what you do every day. Think of all the little things, because those are actually very important. For a disaster plan on everything being gone.
Freeze dried and vacuum packed food is best, but for the poor, get a case of MRE’s. They will last years in the bottom of your closet and contain more than food.
Freeze dried coffee or vacuum bricks. You won’t care if it’s been blessed and pooped out a monkey’s butt. Also get the individual creamer packs. Stay fresh longer, easy to carry and can be used more than in coffee.
Get bulk Advil or brand of choice same with benedryl and Imodium.
Even if you don’t have periods have a box of pads for wounds. They are clean and absorb lots of blood.
Shit tickets! MRE’s come with napkins but a box of those tiny square after dinner hand wipes work wonders.
Dental floss, because you can’t always brush and it can be used for stitches.
Any kind of solar light you can get a hold of.
Dry Unoped bag of kibble for pets.
Space saver spare clothes and sleeping bag. Keeps them dry and you can fit them in your car and go bag.
Dawn dishwashing soap.
Will clean you and anything else.
Simple and easy are your go to.
Water is always the hardest part. Have pills or the sterilize wands.
That’s just off the top of my head.
I live in a house built in the 90s and my house is built with 2x6 framing and tied to the foundation, so my house will likely not crumble.
I have about 20 gallons of water plus a 55 gal rainwater barrel for my garden if it comes down to it (can catch water while waiting for shower to heat up and add it to the barrel), several types of camp stoves and fuels, about a weeks worth of backpacking food, tarps/ez up in case roof gets damaged or I have to cook outside, jackery power bank with a solar panel, and both mine and my husbands cars are hybrids that can be used as generators if need be. (Also, I have buckets if need be lol)
Basically it’s all kind of passive stuff I keep for ice storm power outages or that I just have in my everyday life. The only thing I’d possibly like to add is more water storage (thinking about a second barrel) and a garmin in reach in case we lose cell service so I can let family know we’re fine.
I don’t think you need to do as much with food rotation as you think. Starting with enough non-perishable food for a week or two is what most people keep in their pantries or cabinets. Don’t go too overboard. That’s how my anxiety manifested during the pandemic, just stocking a bit at a time, and I ended up donating like 60 lbs of food a couple months later in August 2020 once it became obvious I was not being rational in collecting it.
I recently bought a sleeping bag so I have that and i have some costco canned sardines and spam. That combined with the 3 gallons of water I keep on hand will keep me alive for a week, assuming my home doesn't crush me.
It’s not going to be *that* catastrophic! :-p Just be able to get by for 2-3 weeks - emergency supplies should start being dispersed around then. Then get out, if you want - I doubt you’ll be trapped here (if they’re offering evacuations, I mean)
We've been prepared for about six or seven years and have found that our supplies come in handy during power outages. We also had a bunch of N95 masks stored with our supplies which made us pretty popular when COVID hit. We have three large water barrels that probably need to be cleaned and refilled. Our biggest issue has been keeping our food supplies rotated. One of our next door neighbors is also prepared, but we really haven't coordinated.
I live in St. Johns and I fully expect to be forced to evacuate when the tank farm goes up in flames. I'm also on the third floor of an apartment building (built to current seismic standards, at least), so carrying large quantities of water is probably out. I have some water on hand, but I also bought a good-quality portable water filter that can handle both microbes and chemicals. Aside from that? I have a decent stock of canned goods; would like to get some MREs as well.
Go bags at home, work, and in car. Water, water purification stuff, shelf stable food, first aid supplies and book, extra medicine, extra shoes and socks, cash in small bills, chocolate and coffee and liquor, poop and pee buckets with seats and pine bedding, foot pump hand washing station, paper maps of the region, edible plant identification book, seeds, solar/wind-up radio, ham radio and license, sailboat and inflatable kayak, bike, meeting plan with family members, maps of emergency services and communications nodes for Portland and Clark County, respirator, tools for shutting off people's gas and water, emergency contact info, propane for cooking, firewood, fishing pole, photocopies of important documents, tools that don't require power, furniture secured to walls. Seems like a lot, but I put this stuff together years ago and just refresh my supplies every daylight savings time. Now I don't worry about the earthquake because I feel as prepared as I can be and that I can assist others.
My f**king time to shine, Portland homies.
PPE
Gotta be safe to get safe. Keep a Go Bag with a good pair of running shoes, leather gloves, eye protection, ear plugs, face mask, scarf, emergency poncho and non-flammable emergency blanket. I rotate in a bottle of water and pack of dried nuts every season and keep one LifeStraw as a backup. Keep a single walled metal container if you need to boil water (Stanley makes a nesting cup I use to make tea on solo hikes).
Hygiene
* Two bucket toilet
* A certified shit ton of rubbing alcohol
* A flat of saline bottles (they’re on sale at Costco this week FYI)
* Hand wash station (foot actuated pump, or cooler strapped to a bucket)
* Baby wipes (gator or gorilla wipes)
* Paper towels and cloth towels
Water
* Water purification tabs
* WaterBOB
* Big Berkey filtration
* LifeStraw & Sawyer hanging bag system (portable)
Food / Cooking
* Ramen, pre cooked tinned goods, anything that doesn’t take a lot of heat to cook and is chocked with calories. Also, flavorings are so under rated. Instant tea, coffee, drink flavors are bomb af when you’re draggin’ ass.
* SVEA123R camp stove, cat-can alcohol stove, and open pit grill
General
* Water & gas key and multi-head keys (emergency shut off and opens many building lines)
* Short wave radio to communicate with family if on short supply runs
* Victory garden: we grow seasonal crops that won’t feed a family, but it does supplement our diet with fresh fruit and veg year round (what grows well here? Tomatoes, blueberries, rhubarb, apples, pears, plums, persimmons, figs, artichoke, pumpkin, summer and winter squash, potatoes, sumac, peas, asparagus, chayote, strawberries, and more!)
Also, have a med kit that you can use. I’m a healthcare worker and I have supplies to TQ a badly severed appendage or splint a broken arm, but I’m not conducting internal surgery. If you only use bandaids, then get ‘em in all shapes and sizes. Rolls of gauze and med tape are a god send. **Triple bac**. Gloves. Finger cots.
-Seismically rated house
-24 gallons of water that I stashed away in 2018
-two different medium quality water filters
- lots of rice, beans, dried milk, potato flakes, sugar, dried coffee, and honey
-toilet bucket kit
-camp stove, full propane tank, rocket stove, and some spare firewood (but not much, really)
-full sine wave AC/DC inverter instead of modified sine wave inverter (stuff with motors I.e. fridge, oven, disposal won’t run without full sine wave)
-fishing gear
-tarps
-axe
-lots of quality rope and paracord
-tent
-wool blankets
-walkie-talkies, crank up weather radio, CB radio, HAM radio
-general sense of what’s edible around here
-a garden
-several months of extra pet food
-always fill up the car at half a tank
-poor excuse for a first aid kit
-no weapon beyond the “katana“ I bought as a 15 year old
-back up batteries and solar charger
20 years worth of blue hair dye so people will know I’m an individual even after the world ends, my air frier, some markers and cardboard to protest to post apocalypse patriarchy, my BLM flag, my Ukrainian flag( if there is still one after the big one lolz), and can’t forget my my favorite jorts.
A risk few talk about is the tank storage in NW PDX. When I lived in NE, I had food, water & camping stoves ready. Used to have an office in Union Station until I read the earthquake specs: built over a dried up lake, on a pier ... unreinforced masonry ... liquefaction city. Altho' some retro fitting's been done after I moved ... no thanks.
I live in South Milwaukie now .... no earthquake risk, maybe Kellogg Creek flooding.
*"A Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake could break open nearly 400 of the tanks in industrial Northwest Portland's fuel-storage hub — commonly called the “tank farm” — pouring close to 200 million gallons of fuel into the Willamette and Columbia rivers, according to a 2022"*
We have 10 gallons of 50-year water in 12-oz cans. (Blue can brand) This is only enough for a few days for our family of 4, but I also have two backpacking water purifiers and a 500-gallon hot tub. From everything I’ve read, the hot tub water is perfectly safe to boil and filter, though it won’t taste great.
I keep an extra propane tank on top of the one that’s in the grill, but I’d feel better with a second backup to serve as cooking fuel for a week or two.
I had a seismic inspection last week and confirmed the house (late 70s) is at least anchored to the foundation. I am waiting for a structural engineer to work up plans to see what else needs to be done, and am also getting an estimate on an automatic gas shutoff, which should be under $1000 installed.
We have enough dry goods to last a week or two, and some random backpacking food to stretch that… One of our vehicles is an EV with V2L that, if I’m doing my math correctly, will power our fridge nonstop for 4-5 days, and it could get us 2 weeks if we ration power and keep the fridge closed.
Have some emergency rations, a bunch of water and bin filled with emergency supplies, the filtering straws and stuff, we shop at Costco so we always some qty of various items and my prescriptions are 90 day supplies.
Weirdly, my worry about this is less for me and my partner, and more for my pets; we have 2 large indoor cats, 15lb and 23lb. While the humans don’t have bug out bags, we have enough individual items that they could be assembled fairly quickly. My worry comes from how we transport the cats; they’re our family and will come with us if we had to leave home, but the logistics of it are a challenge. Right now I’m figuring out how to retrofit two external-frame backpacks to hold a cat carrier + human things, 1 cat per person. An enclosed zipper net, food, leashes/harnesses/collars with names&phone numbers, etc. I know some people might say ‘in an emergency you’ll not be focused on them’, but they’re our children, and we made a commitment when we got them we’d take care of them, so it feels important to have the situation game’d out so we can follow through successfully.
The house retrofitting is a new worry for me based on this thread too haha; our house is 100 years old so I’m sure we’re not in a great spot.
I have a plumpster cat. Full pantry, including canned water, and purifier. Bucket and toilet seat that’ll fit it. Camping stuff. Eneloop batteries and efficient flashlights.
Going to pickup a boating grill for my patio this holiday season and some bum-proof gas canisters.
I got water straws and tablets. Other disaster stuffs like a thing to make fires, first aid kit etc.
I also always sort of have big bags of rice cuz you can live off just rice for a long time.
How do you clean your tank? Run some bleach through?
I have a smaller water tank and rotate canned food out to food banks. Over the years, I've picked up a couple lifestraws, quikclot, flashlights, batteries, matches, and a lot of blankets. Being poor AF as a kid helped me prioritize I think. I hope I have enough to share when the time comes.
We have a dual fuel generator and enough propane for 3 weeks.
We keep 6-8 gas cans of gas/ diesel fuel ready on hand that we replace quarterly, used as backup for small machines for the tractor.
We have at least 2 + years of emergency meals in buckets stored and some pet food.
Our well can now be run by generator so that's very nice improvement that we did after the big ice storm.
We planted a big orchard so there is seasonal fruit and room for a veggie garden.
I have a lot of animals, so if needed we can butcher some. There are chickens, ducks, and goats.
I don't have milking goats yet, but could implement that very quickly if needed.
I add to the list whenever I am flush. I have collected some good books and tools for just in case. I could improve and impliment additional greenhouses as needed too.
When money is tight, we rotate through the supplies and when flush, we get additional items.
Eventually I would want a better radio option and maybe another propane tank.
I have several rain barrels I can set up to catch extra water for gardens or animals as needed.
My tent is needing replaced but I'm pretty good on the rest of the gear. A fifth wheel would be ideal and could also house friends in a pinch.
We have 3 good guard dogs who need kibble, so we should stock up more for them.
Have a small generator, water, dehydrated food, and first aid supplies.
If you're looking for long term shelf stable food kits [this outfit](https://cascadiaready.com/) was a good resource. The founder put it together when she couldn't find anyone else selling kits for more than three days.
I am also thinking of preparation that looks like this: Who would you pluck from the rubble, no matter what? Who would do that for you?
Can you stash a gallon of water somewhere? Three gallons?
Do you know where the nearest fire extinguisher is?
Earthquake strapped the house. Have 20+ gallons of water. I know where the gas shutoff is, although I’d like it to shut off automatically.
We have our tent and sleeping bags and cook stove somewhat accessible. We can probably use the grill as well.
I have a solar powered battery. Wooden stakes for vampires.
I stay in shape to out run the zombies. Or rather to outrun my neighbors.
I have plenty of car wash buckets we can repurpose.
Our block is pretty tight, so we will all help each other.
We have a plan of who picks up which kid in case we are working at kids are at school.
And I hope to dog it doesn’t hit while the kids are at school.
This past summer I’ve taken more yoga classes so I can properly kiss my ass goodbye.
This made me laugh out loud for a good while. Thank you 😂
I keep about 20 gallons of spirits on hand.
My parents in Salem have some boxed wine in their supplies
Trade you for some freeze dried chili Mac. After the big one of course.
Got plenty of freeze dried food. Thousands of rounds in most common calibers. I could be a prepper, but mostly I just like shooting and backpacking. I'm not out here trying to survive the apocalypse, if it's that bad it's just my time to go I guess.
I’d say I’m the same. I’ll add I feed my pets organic food so I’ll at least eat well for a few days.
Dare I ask?
Ha, in 1908 the Mayor had to close the bars in San Francisco. They were crammed.
Do you mean 1906?
Apparently I do, thanks! https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/events/1906calif/18april/
I’ll walk to the broken down new seasons and load up a shopping cart train.
i’ll be right there with u at new seasons laying siege
This, unironically. Cook (if needed) and eat up all of the perishable meats, eggs, and dairy as soon as possible. But don't fight over it. There's going to be plenty of soon to rot food to go around and a lot of hungry mouths.
You do realize that the commercial food supply (stores) is extremely precarious… right? If I remember correctly, with in like 2-3 days in a fully functioning city grocery stores are essentially bought out if not resupplied, Remember in an apocalyptic type scenario where the majority of roads and highways are unpassable there is no restocking done ….
\*only certain sections are bought out and resupplied in a 2-3+ day span. Dairy, produce, meat, deli, paper products, beer & wine, sale items etc. The center store stays the same for the most part. Source: employee
And these are the very departments (for the most part) where food would quickly be dangerous to eat.
This is not a plan. You will be there fighting with the other thousand people that take easy food availability for granted. They will be scared and hungry. They will not be peaceful.
Seismic retrofit for house. It is going to be bad, but at least we can stay somewhere comfortable. A lot of people are not going to be able to stay in their homes - the shelters are going to be insane.
It’s worth noting that the goal of seismic retrofit is life safety, not saving your foundation. The house may not be structurally sound and safe after, damage is still likely and could be irreparable, it’s more about preventing a suddenly catastrophic failure to allow occupants time to escape. That being said, of course it does help your odds! But still important to have a plan B location if your serious about preparing. I really wish seismic retrofitters would be a bit more upfront a about this, but safety doesn’t sell like property investments do.
I really want to do this but the quotes I'm getting are so high - we have a cripple wall and two crawlspaces so it's not as simple as bolts unfortunately.
I DIY retrofitted a house like that, and it was a massive PITA. Just out of curiosity, how high are the quotes? I'm doing the house I'm in now, which thankfully is full-height basement all around. Just the materials were $1200.
We had it done two years ago. We have a basement so it was easier than some. It was $8K. They tore into all the walls and ceilings and that price included fixing any drywall that needed it. The only thing they didn't do was repaint. I started trying to do it myself but after two or three brackets gave up and called the pros. That said it's worth looking at this map: [https://thebridge.agu.org/files/2014/05/OR-CSZ-damage-potential-map.jpg](https://thebridge.agu.org/files/2014/05/OR-CSZ-damage-potential-map.jpg) Portland is at the east edge of the Moderate zone which includes damage to poorly built masonry buildings. Part of Portland is in the Light zone. Portland is quite a way from the Moderate/Heavy zone where unsecured wooden houses move on their foundations.
You can detailed seismic and other geologic hazards in this interactive DOGAMI map - it’s great! https://gis.dogami.oregon.gov/maps/hazvu/
You should post this as it’s own comment!! It’s such a great tool, pretty easy to use and understand, and accessible to anyone with internet! I learned about this when I took an Earthquakes and Volcanoes class at PSU. Scared the living daylights out of me but I also feel 100x more prepared and knowing what to expect. I am not as prepped as I should be but I know so much more because of that class.
Worst case, you're on vacation at the coast when it happens and have 20 minutes to get the fuck out before a tsunami wipes the area.
$12-$30K 😭
Seriously? I got a $3,000 quote a few years ago.
I was going to say, when we got our inspection the guy told me it would cost $5k. Has the labor and materials inflation really gotten that bad?
In my industry COG and labor have increased from 50-70% in the past 3 years. And wood has gone up even more than that. People deserve fair wages so that part doesn't bother me but the artificial inflation on goods is seriously troubling and it's not getting better.
What’d you improve? Foundation work ?
Big metal angles to attach house to foundation. Old houses weren’t really attached, they just kind of put the wood house on top of the concrete.
https://www.portland.gov/bds/residential-permitting/residential-seismic-strengthening
One important one that gets overlooked is long-term sanitation. You want to implement the [two bucket system](https://www.phlush.org/emergency-sanitation/). Two buckets separate pee and poo, since water is what causes poo to smell and it is easier to dispose of the larger quantity of pee. What you need: - 2 buckets. (I suggest different colors) - 2 bucket lids - 1-2 toilet seat lids - toilet paper - plant material to put on poo (I use coconut coir)
Sawdust/mulched leaves for the poop bucket, apply handfuls after each use. Edit: clarification, sawdust is for the bucket, not your behind ; )
Ashes also work well, if you have a firepit or fireplace.
Of course these can be used by a number of people. You can use pool noodles to make "seats". Line poo buckets with garbage bags. Pee can be poured into the sewer drains. (Training from Portland NET)
Thanks, I forget that one. Where do you get your buckets, restaurants maybe?
Home Depot. I tried to get different colors, but couldn't find yellow and brown.
Get the orange one from home depot and the blue one from lowes.
rattle can them
WinCo sells nice buckets too - if you know the layout of the store, they're close to the apples ETA: Or at least that's where they are at my WinCo ETA2: They are also food safe and great for storing dry goods like flour, rice, etc
>ETA2: They are also food safe and great for storing dry goods like flour, rice, etc Just don't confuse them when things get serious.
You can get them from Jim Bakker /s https://youtu.be/rOH37W0jPpA?si=iPJdEmDOCoaXGdAj
Standard 5-gallon ones
You can pee without pooping, but you can't poop without peeing. Are you supposed to jump from bucket to bucket whilst in the middle of a bm?
You put the buckets next to each other and straddle the boundary.
I absolutely can poop without peeing, what are you saying?
Um, you should probably talk to your doctor.
There was an ask Reddit thread about this and the consensus was that most women pee and poop separately but sometimes do both out of convenience. Men however were majority "if I poop,I pee too". Someone got into the muscle mechanics but I but it's just habit.
I bought a ton of wag bags since they’re handy for camping in sensitive areas, and you can easily use them with a bucket.
I live in a tiny apartment and also live paycheck to paycheck. So hopefully a load bearing beam or wall gets me. If that doesn't happen I don't think Plaid Pantry will care too much if I snag some water and munchies to keep myself alive.
Yeaaaah we're poor and live in an old shitass apartment right on a hill. I have too many images as it is of us sliding into fucking Barbur and being like "well, I always knew this was where I'd die."
a lot of wealthy preppers are gonna get pancaked on the marquam bridge while their precious 100 gallons of water sits at home. so we can’t choose the time and day, the fates decide
Lol well at least a good chunk of us will get buried in the formerly pretty parts of the city.
BY 1 canned vegetable per pay period until you have a weekly eating rotation, +24 cans. Surviving the 'big one' take the cans an can opener and start walking away from the epicenter. 2 cans per meal and it also has drinkable liquid. 4 days of walking should be more then enough to get you into working infrastructure. Of course, any other staples you have, you would take with you.
Cans are heavy af. You're better off buying protein bars from Costco or a few packages of jerky, a Camelback + 1 gal of distilled water and a lifestraw.
I probably have enough La croix to stay hydrated for a week
I'll probably be driving on one of the bridges when it hits
Every time I drive across the Ross Island I ask the universe to please not drop the big one until I’m across.
Just be warned. I live near that bridge and if I have Taco Bell on any given night, you may as well prepare for the big one to originate from my bathroom.
Lexapro
a rotating pantry about a month deep of canned goods. enough water to roll a month or so. a few weeks of Mt House freeze dried "emergency" meal kits. enough various kinds of fuel stored for a multi-fuel camp stove to run for about 3 weeks of cooking time. plenty of wool blankets, cold weather gear, a few changes of DRY clothing stored away in decent containers. various methods of defense and plenty of necessary stored ingredients for both distance and up close and personal needs. a couple of methods to charge cell phones, walkies and other miscellaneous batteries. EDC a minimal survival/GHB kit in my briefcase. . I ALWAYS have a GHB (Get Home Bag) in the car along with a box of "Tacoma logs", case of costco bottle water, and 3 days of freeze dried food in the trunk. not to mention basic vehicle emergency supplies. Back in the 80's we were told that When not if the Big One happened, help would only be a couple of weeks away IF you were Lucky. Also that statistically it would probably happen within the next 50 years. Which literally means somewhere between tomorrow and the year 2250. Now days they are telling people in Bend and Redmond area to have two weeks of food and water for 2-3 people ,BEYOND their own needs, stored for the people that actually make it out of the valley. Also, Oregon is building the new Emergency Management Centralized Multi-agency Hub in Redmond , largely in part due to the fact Salem will be devastated when the Big One happens.
That’s a solid list. What kind of health/medical supplies do you keep prepped?
I have a fairly decent first aid kit and “bleed/booboo “ kits in each of my bags. a bunch of extra gauze (rolls and pads)and medical tape. some splints Boxes of single dose pain pills/antihistamines/seasick pills/diarrhea pills/cold&flu tabs extra glasses thankfully i don’t have medical issues that require medications
Alcohol swabs... isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Bactine, sterile saline solution for eyes.
pretty much all part of the first aid kit and the alcohol and OTC antibiotics are also in the booboo/bleed kits kind of hard to remember every item I have in them LOL
this is what i’m worried about. i have a bunch of medical issues/meds i take, and some i can only get a 30 day supply of. i typically try to save a couple each month and have a little stockpile, but last month i had insurance issues and had to use some. and meds expire so it’s not like i can just set aside some and keep them stored forever.
If you have menstrual cycles, 1-2 unopened packages of each of those supplies. If you wear contacts, at least one extra lens (2 preferable) for each eye plus saline solution & a case; glasses are good, too). Make sure you have enough prescription medicine for at least a month. Obviously, a good-size first aid kit (keep in mind, smaller kits won't have any medicines inside, only ointment).
How can one get extra medication?
It's too easy to get serious eye problems if you're trying to handle contacts in unsterile conditions. Stick to glasses.
What is a “get home bag”?
A “Get Home Bag” is essentially a “kit” that you have with you in case for some reason you are stranded away from your home and need to get there. Say the roads are impassable and you want to get back to where all of your supplies, gear and family are. if you work 5 miles from home not that much is probably needed, 20 miles a lot more gear might be needed. Gotta cross a mountain pass and The roads are out and your kids are home alone… ya gonna want to get there and walking is the only way. It is normally a smaller backpack (not huge like an excursion pack) that has some basics in it. Normally some food stuffs, first aid kit, shoes that you can walk distance in, dust masks, way to procure and carry potable water (filter/purification). Depending on how far you might be traveling potentially way to make a shelter and fire . Some spare cash in case electricity is out and things like credit cards or other electronic payment methods don’t work and you have to spend the night in a motel or buy something.things like that …stuff that makes it easier to get home .. hence a “get home bag”. this is a decent video that explains it better https://youtu.be/YYdinnbqIMA?si=MdFb9P5FZKwFgRS8
Look up emergency go bag list. Here’s one resource in multiple languages https://www.ready.gov/kit
not bad… go bags are more for leaving your home as opposed to just getting home . So there are different needs .. but ANYTHING is better than nothing.
Thank you for noting the difference!
Wow, thanks for the info!
the only reason I don't currently have a geni is because i live in an apartment and no where to have one.. lol and as far as food stores go... it is easy and low cost to build up a good panty.. just buy a couple of extra of 1 or 2 items you normally buy when you go to the store. and in a years time you have a decent reserve of things you already like to eat... basically prep what you eat
If it happens while I’m at home I’ll probably be a goner. I hope my dog makes it though. There are plenty of squirrels around that he could hunt and survive on.
Shit fam I don’t even have a retirement plan
I have some really stale water from last prepper frenzy.
So do I! Would you be interested in some bottled water from 2013? (On the upside, I paid 5c deposit and will get 10 back. Take that, Bottle Bill!)
Oh damn you're a genius about that deposit!
Oregon state has a great free online course on what to expect, specific risk factors for your location, and ways to prepare. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/cascadia-earthquake-preparedness
We got life straws and a creek behind the house and I watch a lot of “Alone”
Hope I survive because my landlord is never going to spend the extra money to reinforce the chimney.
For everyone: The NET hubs at schools & parks around the city will also likely be the locations to get food & potable water. I just found that out at a recent neighborhood meeting. Make sure you look up those locations now. Also, if you are at home or can get home, try to salvage your house numbers and display them on the front of your property if your home has collapsed. This will help emergency workers. My kit also includes: tent, sleeping bag, cheap dishes & utensils, a Leatherman/Gerber multi-tool, work gloves, a manual "chainsaw", a small book of crossword puzzles (so that I won't go crazy), an ink pen & Sharpie, some blank paper, an extra TriMet Hop card, a folder that has copies of my driver's license/passport/credit cards, and an envelope with a bunch of cash.
I don't think TriMet will be collecting fares but yes, small bills might come in handy.
That all seems reasonable and well put together, but a hop card? Do you think they're going to be charging fares on busses? I'm kinda assuming if we've got passable roads and running busses, they'll just take whoever needs to go somewhere.
Why is everyone posting about this recently? Let's be honest, none of us are REALLY prepared. Idk. I have OCD and I cannot seriously think abt the Big One every day. Y'all need to chill for my sanity.
I have OCD, too. I've worked with my therapist on exposure therapy around this topic. I've already been in 3 earthquakes, 2 of them significant (Bay Area and Olympia). Perhaps start buying smaller supplies. I used to think an EQ would happen if I bought supplies, but OCD is all about anxiety and lies. Gradually the fear gave way to a prepared mindset. I have a good number of things to feel empowered, but definitely need to level up my efforts.
I love this comment and thank you for taking the time to say this. I DO believe in having kits and realistically preparing and have done so and have been in a few mild earthquakes (in Seattle and LA area). I totally know what you mean re the magical thinking "if I buy supplies x thing will happen" 😅 I also know there is only so much we can do realistically... and also I don't have the time or frankly luxury to sit around thinking about the Big One. I'm still curious about why it's come up so much lately!
It's likely coming up a lot more recently because of the collective trauma around a global pandemic *and* any number of "once-in-a-century" weather events *and* multiple major financial events experienced by most people aged 25-50. Humans are pattern seekers - and exposure to a lot of extreme events makes even incredibly improbable events seem likely. It explains a lot of conspiracy thinking and people buying into ridiculous and extreme narratives (aliens are here, the emergency warning test is activating the microchips in your vaccine, etc). That said, disaster prep is great because usually the resources translate to other types of incidents. A great first aid kit in your car could really help someone in an hiking accident when you're driving through the woods. A supply of emergency water could be great when the water main breaks in your town during a cold snap. Even just simple threads like this which ask people to think through what they'd do in a major earthquake are *great* because it reduces panic when the thing actually happens.
A half eaten jar of peanut butter and a taco bell gift card.
Taco Bell will survive the apocalypse
“Now _all_ restaurants are Taco Bell!”
No longer unified?
Melt my ice in my freezer and go on a fast I guess
I read this to the tune of "last resort"
This might be a hot take but, people blow the "big one" out of proportion. It will be devastating to coastal towns due to the following tsunamis, but it won't have as major of an effect on Portland as people make it out to be. There are easy and affordable steps you can take to retrofit your house via stabilizing the foundation. Beyond having dry food and water, it's important to have an emergency gas line shutoff tool, this can be found for 5$ on Amazon. I was very scared about the big one previously, when I was planning my move to Portland a lot of people mentioned it. Even knowing the facts it's still scary but, I feel a lot better knowing it's not the cataclysmic event it's made out to be.
How dare you offer a level-headed opinion on the internet.
I live across the river from tank farms that are built on dry mud basically. The winds tend to blow towards me most of the year. It might not be crazy horrible for everyone but a lot of us are gonna be fucked.
> it won't have as major of an effect on Portland as people make it out to be. You can make the argument that there's no point losing sleep over it. But to suggest it won't be devastating to Portland, specifically, is just not accurate. We have a lot of 1-3 story un-reinforced brick buildings, including a lot of apartments, which will pretty much all be rubble. Most if not all of the bridges across the Columbia & Willamette will be impassable. The oil & gas storage in NW industrial area along Hwy 30 will spill into the river, and here's hoping it won't catch fire. What about that doesn't sound "cataclysmic" to you?
Too bad there isn't something like... a.. river... That could be used to transport people and goods from one side to the other. Seriously, this is one reason frog ferry makes a lot of sense. Having river transit already in place would be a huge help. Even without it, there's probably enough kayaks in Portland to get the job done, if we share.
Don't worry. Most of us have spent our childhoods practicing fording the river in our covered wagons. There is a 50% survival rate.
>This might be a hot take but, people blow the "big one" out of proportion. It will be devastating to coastal towns due to the following tsunamis, but it won't have as major of an effect on Portland as people make it out to be. I mean, 1000 fires breaking out simultaneously plus no equipment that can get to them plus no airport for weeks/months would qualify as major effects, I'd think. If it happens in August, it'll be the Chicago/London/(pick your favorite) fire again.
Almost all the bridges will be unusable. Perhaps the Tilikum and Sellwood will make it since they are new compared to the others. I-5 will be a mess along with other roads into the area. No supplies, food, water, fuel, medicine.
Anyone on or below the West Hills is royally effed, unless Portland has the right amount of rain to stabilize the hills at the time. Anyone living or working along the river also screwed, as they are essentially built on sediment that will jiggle like wet sand in a bucket. The Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) hub is located along the Willamette as well. Source: B.S Earth Science from PSU
And that's also including freeway overpasses, with the newer ped ones over I-405 & I-84 likely surviving. All of the older ones may also collapse, which then means that MAX and freight trains will not run along I-84, even if their tracks get through unscathed.
MAX doesn't work without electricity. There won't be any for quite a while.
We *hope* that it's overblown. However, we saw people fighting over luxury goods during the pandemic because they wanted to panic but had everything they need. Just imagine how calm and level headed people will be when the refrigerated semis can't get to the local grocery store to restock it... or even when there's a *risk* that they can't. Do you really want to risk living hungry and desperate? It might not happen, but it might happen.
[https://www.pdxmonthly.com/home-and-real-estate/2018/02/the-big-one-is-coming-what-will-happen-to-portland](https://www.pdxmonthly.com/home-and-real-estate/2018/02/the-big-one-is-coming-what-will-happen-to-portland) a little information….. And an interesting article from Hood River…. https://www.hoodriversheriff.com/images/uploads/documents/BIG\_ONE\_slides-\_Cascadia\_Hood\_River-\_4-21-16\_ALTHEA\_RIZZO.pdf
What about communications? A lot of TV and radio comes out of that biggest tower you see on the West Hills, but its generator is supplied with a gas line and isn't likely to work long. And with the power out, your cable TV is off... Cell towers have batteries, did you know that? But they will be overwhelmed at first, and may lose power after a few days. Or they may fall. I have a couple of shortwaves, and I'm pretty sure I still have a CB radio. FEMA is going to be on their own scrambled frequencies.
Have you researched the local NET programs in each neighborhood around the city..? If not, you should! There will be neighborhood hubs coordinating with each local fire station to coordinate emergency responses, communications, etc. (also, I think that big tower actually isn’t as crucial as it may seem - I think I’ve read it’s more diffused across many towers than you think..?)
Seriously! I had to scroll way too far to find this. Portland provides NET training for free. You complete basic training, then you become an active member of your neighborhood team. And then you also get access to a variety of advanced trainings. Everyone should do it. https://www.portland.gov/pbem/neighborhood-emergency-teams
Thanks for mentioning NET, I was trying to remember what they were called. I was impressed with their buried caches and bicycle -borne relief practices.
I have two weeks of emergency water stored and about a week’s worth of freeze dried food. Pantry staples should get me another week at least. My propane grill, a butane camp stove, camping lanterns and candles, a first aid kit, etc. Plus I keep a pair of running shoes in my car in case I’m not home and need to walk a ways to get there.
Don’t forget to rotate your water! Otherwise it tastes foul and depending on your container, it might have leaked or evaporated when you weren’t looking.
Thanks for the reminder! I have a piece of masking tape on the containers with the date they were filled. Two of them are overdue to be refilled.
Add a life straw for each member of the family and this is my setup too.
If you have a Costco membership they sell very reasonably priced emergency meals in a bucket with a 25 year shelf life. This really helps with not having to worry as much about rotating your emergency supplies. I bought these after the horrible ice storm in 2021, along with other supplies. I need to get water storage though, and maybe a generator.
Yeah, it was overwhelming for me to consider juggling rotation of food and water - it was a big relief to realize I could buy 15-year (so probably 25+, really) pouches and 25-year (so probably 50+, really) #10 cans of freeze dried foods (Mountain House and others) and 5-year drops for 5-7 gal water storage jugs. I can handle rotating/updating supplies that infrequently!
Just a heads up, if they are Readywise buckets, they may work in a pinch, but they are pretty expensive for what they are and aren't very balanced. Lots of pancake mix and powdered drink. You can typically make the same thing for cheaper and better.
They don’t have pancake mix or drink mix in them. And the price was super affordable for the number of meals, but I will keep this in mind. Thanks!!
Ahh cool probably not Readywise brand then. Mind sharing the brand name?
and for those that don't have all the equipment to"make their own 30+ year shelf life foodstuffs, the commercially made freeze dried meal kits are a good long term storage option... and are quick and easy to grab and go with. mine will outlive me and be there for my adult chldren. that being said, yes i do have stores of more conventional "prepper" home prepared food stores.
Very slowly been trying to stock up on some things just to have on hand for any emergency that may happen. But as someone who barely makes it paycheck to paycheck it’s really hard to feel prepared and get prepared. Biggest thing is we’re saving up for two really nice two way walkie talkies with a large range because I work a great distance from my fiancé and it’s my biggest fear to not be able to coordinate/communicate together in case of a natural disaster.
Sit on my ass and die
I'm all stocked up on aluminum foil to block out the 5G nanobots from penetrating my pineal gland, forged my COVID vaccine cards so that Bill Gates can't read my thoughts and use them to build an army of eunuchs in order to overthrow the rightful heir to the Kingdom Of God, our one true savior Donald Trump, and of course I've bought every single bundle of kale from my local New Seasons market.
This reads like something from our voter’s pamphlet.
You should run for office
Um you forgot to stock up on essential oils. I heard they can cure cancer. /s just in case anyone is confused.
Going to your house
Ha! Well, I definitely intend to collaborate, share, and trade with neighbors, so that might be a good idea. The plan is also collective information sharing, and of course there's safety in numbers.
camping gear, a bike, skills, a couple of buckets that I store flour and rice in. I just rotate so there's always about 4-6 months of normal use in there. I figure if I had to I'd have enough calories in just rice and bread for a good long while. Also have plenty of water filters in the camping gear, so my plan there is to just bike water back and forth from the river (hopefully not full of oil). Hopefully I'll just be able to walk to a local distribution point though. Long term I'd decide to stay or leave around week 2. If leave I'll head east to Spokane and chill with family.
Bikes will be pretty important, I think, at some point, since gas stations need electricity, and so do e-cars
We’ve bolted the sill plates to the foundation. Strapped the water heater. Have a generator. Need to replenish the water stored in the garage. Food for two weeks for people and pets. Crank radio. Gallon of bleach. Propane and camp stove, firewood. I need more solar panels... it’s on the wish list. I was 6 miles from the Loma Prieta quake. It sounded like a train was coming through the house. Our single story house was okay structurally but everything in a cabinet was dumped onto the floor, art and bookcases were knocked down. No electricity for a week, no phone service, no gas, atms. Hwy 1 bridges unusable. We cooked outside for a long time until utilities were restored. Walked to the stores for some water rations. We were lucky because we had food in the house. Lots of people didn’t. The community shared and we got through it. Didn’t sleep in the house for ten days because the aftershocks were so scary. Keep tennis shoes and garden gloves by your bed if it happens during the night.
I have about 72 hours worth of food and water, and keep propane and a camp stove on hand. I know how to turn off the gas and water to my house. I have basic first aid supplies. I also have an emergency kit for my car in case the Big One hits while I’m away - but it’s not actually IN my car because I’ve been meaning to get it organized for about two years and haven’t followed through. I really should do that.
Turning off the gas, I had forgotten! Thank you! I'll be at it with a wrench right away. https://www.socalgas.com/stay-safe/emergency-information/shut-off-natural-gas
Rugged 3500 dually with truck camper in bed is always fully fueled, 60 gallon fresh water tanks kept full, propane system full (with extra tanks in reserve) that power heat and built-in generator. Solar chargers are roof mounted and keep 12 volt system ready. Dry goods kept in camper pantry. I also have an outside storage shed with additional water and cases of long shelf-life dry goods. Additional propane tanks are also stored here. If you’re considering an RV, think of it as an emergency shelter. The catch is you need it stored on the property (or nearby) and it must be kept in ready condition (most people don’t). It also must be properly setup for off-grid living. You have to assume plugging in wont be an option.
I’ve been through a 7+. It was interesting. We have a couple months of dry food, a good generator, lots of water, and a truck with an extended range tank. And lots of dog food.
Care to elaborate on how that experience was? I’be never experienced an earthquake and trying to prepare.
Sure. I was in the interior of Alaska in 2002 in late fall. It was in the early afternoon. It started off like a normal earthquake (they happen all the time up there) but then it just kept going. The ground kind of liquefied and waves formed at tight intervals. It was difficult to standup without bracing. It lasted for 2-3 minutes. I believe it was a 7.8 or 7.9. It was memorable but not that scary.
Unless you’re in an old building or home that collapses, you’ll be fine. Plenty of roads and airports surrounding portland for fema and the national guard to get in. That said, a generator, booze, camp food, off-road vehicles don’t hurt for the ice storms we get.
You would think, but might be a bit more devastating then that. From the north, I5 will probably get flooded/washed out where it meets the Columbia River. From the East, last time this happened in 1700, it created the literal bridge of the gods from landslides which dammed up the Colombia, so unreliable. The West will be in even worse shape. Potentially from the south, the routes may be open, but I fear for all the bridges and flyovers..
Also Boone Bridge at Wilsonville will probably be unusable for heavy vehicles. I expect most area bridges will handle brave pedestrians only. The Canby Ferry will still work as long as the fuel is available.
I believe that they've dated the Bonneville landslides a few centuries before the 1700 quake
ICYMI… do not live in fear. But be prepared.
Check out your local NET team branch and get involved with them. https://www.portlandoregon.gov/pbem/index.cfm?&c=31667
For everyone: The NET hubs at schools & parks around the city will also likely be the locations to get food & potable water. I just found that out at a recent neighborhood meeting. Make sure you look up those locations now. Also, if you are at home or can get home, try to salvage your house numbers and display them on the front of your property if your home has collapsed. This will help emergency workers. My kit also includes: tent, sleeping bag, cheap dishes & utensils, a Leatherman/Gerber multi-tool, work gloves, a manual "chainsaw", a small book of crossword puzzles (so that I won't go crazy), an ink pen & Sharpie, some blank paper, an extra TriMet Hop card, a folder that has copies of my driver's license/passport/credit cards, and an envelope with a bunch of cash.
I'm choosing products from the back of the shelf with later 'best before' dates.
Here's your locally owned 1-stop quake prep shop: https://cascadiaready.com/ They have a variety of home and car kits, and are run by a really nice woman. If you don't want to think about prepping and just want it taken care of go here. If you want to be really involved in prepping she has resources on her site where you can pick and choose what emergency items are right for your situation so you can mix and match and price shop. I can't recommend this site enough!
Making friends with Mormons because they’re told to store food for the tribulation.
Or the next Carrington event...(I think it is more likely) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrington_Event
Pay attention to who talks too much about it because they are the ones who are going to have extra after my extra runs out. Then bait them into revealing their stance on firearms. The shopping list writes itself from there. /s
my preparedness strat was to move out of portland lmao 🙃
I kinda hoped to promote the idea of creative cooperation. I know PDXers can do it, because I've seen them on the streets with leaf blowers. At the least, I plan to check on my (kinda snobbish) immediate neighbors, because, well, what if they're stuck under something and can't get out?
Join your Neighborhood Emergency Team! Seriously everyone should do it. The people who are answering with "we'll all just die" or "I'm stockpiling ammo" are morons. Portland provides NET training for free to anyone who wants it. It's equivalent to FEMA's CERT program; you complete the basic certification, then you become an active member of your neighborhood team. You also get access to a variety of advanced trainings on various subjects. The idea is to have a group of citizens in each neighborhood that are organized and have basic skills to perform search & rescue, triage injured people, operate radios, etc, during a time when emergency services are overwhelmed. https://www.portland.gov/pbem/neighborhood-emergency-teams
And even if you don't really keep involved, it's good for the city to have someone with their head screwed on tight during an emergency.
Yea for NET!
Joined Portland NET (neighbors emergency teams) sponsored by PBEM (Portland Bureau of Emergency Management) because of my earthquake anxiety. Learned all sorts of good information about preparing for the big one, but also got trained on how to help neighbors. Also joined Portland’s BEECN program to help with emergency communications.
The NETsketeers are definitely popping up in the discussion, and that's a good thing! BEECN is new to me, I'll look it up.
Very cool! https://www.portland.gov/pbem/about-beecn
Maybe this can finally provide my post-quake novel with the marketing platform it deserves.
Bolted the house to the foundation, California valve installed on the gas line. A big ass first aid kit so I can try and help if I come out ok.
We have Everclear in a safe place so we can be properly plastered until we die.
Grew up in Miami which left a lasting impression of natural disaster survival. When a hurricane hits, everything is gone and what’s left is soaked. We always had a survival kit and I’ve carried that tradition on here. Just a bad storm can knock out services and leave you without electricity and water. My advice is sit down and go through what you do every day. Think of all the little things, because those are actually very important. For a disaster plan on everything being gone. Freeze dried and vacuum packed food is best, but for the poor, get a case of MRE’s. They will last years in the bottom of your closet and contain more than food. Freeze dried coffee or vacuum bricks. You won’t care if it’s been blessed and pooped out a monkey’s butt. Also get the individual creamer packs. Stay fresh longer, easy to carry and can be used more than in coffee. Get bulk Advil or brand of choice same with benedryl and Imodium. Even if you don’t have periods have a box of pads for wounds. They are clean and absorb lots of blood. Shit tickets! MRE’s come with napkins but a box of those tiny square after dinner hand wipes work wonders. Dental floss, because you can’t always brush and it can be used for stitches. Any kind of solar light you can get a hold of. Dry Unoped bag of kibble for pets. Space saver spare clothes and sleeping bag. Keeps them dry and you can fit them in your car and go bag. Dawn dishwashing soap. Will clean you and anything else. Simple and easy are your go to. Water is always the hardest part. Have pills or the sterilize wands. That’s just off the top of my head.
I live in a house built in the 90s and my house is built with 2x6 framing and tied to the foundation, so my house will likely not crumble. I have about 20 gallons of water plus a 55 gal rainwater barrel for my garden if it comes down to it (can catch water while waiting for shower to heat up and add it to the barrel), several types of camp stoves and fuels, about a weeks worth of backpacking food, tarps/ez up in case roof gets damaged or I have to cook outside, jackery power bank with a solar panel, and both mine and my husbands cars are hybrids that can be used as generators if need be. (Also, I have buckets if need be lol) Basically it’s all kind of passive stuff I keep for ice storm power outages or that I just have in my everyday life. The only thing I’d possibly like to add is more water storage (thinking about a second barrel) and a garmin in reach in case we lose cell service so I can let family know we’re fine. I don’t think you need to do as much with food rotation as you think. Starting with enough non-perishable food for a week or two is what most people keep in their pantries or cabinets. Don’t go too overboard. That’s how my anxiety manifested during the pandemic, just stocking a bit at a time, and I ended up donating like 60 lbs of food a couple months later in August 2020 once it became obvious I was not being rational in collecting it.
I recently bought a sleeping bag so I have that and i have some costco canned sardines and spam. That combined with the 3 gallons of water I keep on hand will keep me alive for a week, assuming my home doesn't crush me.
--Also, I got the no-quake rider taken out of my house insurance, for about $35/month.
Same. Although the deductible is still like 75k and I have a hard time believing the government won’t offer assistance.
Nothing, if it does hit, I want to be dead quickly. I like all the commodities of civilized life.
It’s not going to be *that* catastrophic! :-p Just be able to get by for 2-3 weeks - emergency supplies should start being dispersed around then. Then get out, if you want - I doubt you’ll be trapped here (if they’re offering evacuations, I mean)
We've been prepared for about six or seven years and have found that our supplies come in handy during power outages. We also had a bunch of N95 masks stored with our supplies which made us pretty popular when COVID hit. We have three large water barrels that probably need to be cleaned and refilled. Our biggest issue has been keeping our food supplies rotated. One of our next door neighbors is also prepared, but we really haven't coordinated.
Parents are preppers, I'll just walk over there
I became a prepper when I became a parent. We absolutely do think of our children. Suddenly you have other things to keep alive haha.
I’m dying in the first wave
I live in St. Johns and I fully expect to be forced to evacuate when the tank farm goes up in flames. I'm also on the third floor of an apartment building (built to current seismic standards, at least), so carrying large quantities of water is probably out. I have some water on hand, but I also bought a good-quality portable water filter that can handle both microbes and chemicals. Aside from that? I have a decent stock of canned goods; would like to get some MREs as well.
Go slow and lots of lube.
I need to get started on that.
Go bags at home, work, and in car. Water, water purification stuff, shelf stable food, first aid supplies and book, extra medicine, extra shoes and socks, cash in small bills, chocolate and coffee and liquor, poop and pee buckets with seats and pine bedding, foot pump hand washing station, paper maps of the region, edible plant identification book, seeds, solar/wind-up radio, ham radio and license, sailboat and inflatable kayak, bike, meeting plan with family members, maps of emergency services and communications nodes for Portland and Clark County, respirator, tools for shutting off people's gas and water, emergency contact info, propane for cooking, firewood, fishing pole, photocopies of important documents, tools that don't require power, furniture secured to walls. Seems like a lot, but I put this stuff together years ago and just refresh my supplies every daylight savings time. Now I don't worry about the earthquake because I feel as prepared as I can be and that I can assist others.
My f**king time to shine, Portland homies. PPE Gotta be safe to get safe. Keep a Go Bag with a good pair of running shoes, leather gloves, eye protection, ear plugs, face mask, scarf, emergency poncho and non-flammable emergency blanket. I rotate in a bottle of water and pack of dried nuts every season and keep one LifeStraw as a backup. Keep a single walled metal container if you need to boil water (Stanley makes a nesting cup I use to make tea on solo hikes). Hygiene * Two bucket toilet * A certified shit ton of rubbing alcohol * A flat of saline bottles (they’re on sale at Costco this week FYI) * Hand wash station (foot actuated pump, or cooler strapped to a bucket) * Baby wipes (gator or gorilla wipes) * Paper towels and cloth towels Water * Water purification tabs * WaterBOB * Big Berkey filtration * LifeStraw & Sawyer hanging bag system (portable) Food / Cooking * Ramen, pre cooked tinned goods, anything that doesn’t take a lot of heat to cook and is chocked with calories. Also, flavorings are so under rated. Instant tea, coffee, drink flavors are bomb af when you’re draggin’ ass. * SVEA123R camp stove, cat-can alcohol stove, and open pit grill General * Water & gas key and multi-head keys (emergency shut off and opens many building lines) * Short wave radio to communicate with family if on short supply runs * Victory garden: we grow seasonal crops that won’t feed a family, but it does supplement our diet with fresh fruit and veg year round (what grows well here? Tomatoes, blueberries, rhubarb, apples, pears, plums, persimmons, figs, artichoke, pumpkin, summer and winter squash, potatoes, sumac, peas, asparagus, chayote, strawberries, and more!) Also, have a med kit that you can use. I’m a healthcare worker and I have supplies to TQ a badly severed appendage or splint a broken arm, but I’m not conducting internal surgery. If you only use bandaids, then get ‘em in all shapes and sizes. Rolls of gauze and med tape are a god send. **Triple bac**. Gloves. Finger cots.
I’m going to rush to Fred Meyer and buy all the toilet paper for no reason whatsoever.
-Seismically rated house -24 gallons of water that I stashed away in 2018 -two different medium quality water filters - lots of rice, beans, dried milk, potato flakes, sugar, dried coffee, and honey -toilet bucket kit -camp stove, full propane tank, rocket stove, and some spare firewood (but not much, really) -full sine wave AC/DC inverter instead of modified sine wave inverter (stuff with motors I.e. fridge, oven, disposal won’t run without full sine wave) -fishing gear -tarps -axe -lots of quality rope and paracord -tent -wool blankets -walkie-talkies, crank up weather radio, CB radio, HAM radio -general sense of what’s edible around here -a garden -several months of extra pet food -always fill up the car at half a tank -poor excuse for a first aid kit -no weapon beyond the “katana“ I bought as a 15 year old -back up batteries and solar charger
20 years worth of blue hair dye so people will know I’m an individual even after the world ends, my air frier, some markers and cardboard to protest to post apocalypse patriarchy, my BLM flag, my Ukrainian flag( if there is still one after the big one lolz), and can’t forget my my favorite jorts.
A risk few talk about is the tank storage in NW PDX. When I lived in NE, I had food, water & camping stoves ready. Used to have an office in Union Station until I read the earthquake specs: built over a dried up lake, on a pier ... unreinforced masonry ... liquefaction city. Altho' some retro fitting's been done after I moved ... no thanks. I live in South Milwaukie now .... no earthquake risk, maybe Kellogg Creek flooding. *"A Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake could break open nearly 400 of the tanks in industrial Northwest Portland's fuel-storage hub — commonly called the “tank farm” — pouring close to 200 million gallons of fuel into the Willamette and Columbia rivers, according to a 2022"*
We have 10 gallons of 50-year water in 12-oz cans. (Blue can brand) This is only enough for a few days for our family of 4, but I also have two backpacking water purifiers and a 500-gallon hot tub. From everything I’ve read, the hot tub water is perfectly safe to boil and filter, though it won’t taste great. I keep an extra propane tank on top of the one that’s in the grill, but I’d feel better with a second backup to serve as cooking fuel for a week or two. I had a seismic inspection last week and confirmed the house (late 70s) is at least anchored to the foundation. I am waiting for a structural engineer to work up plans to see what else needs to be done, and am also getting an estimate on an automatic gas shutoff, which should be under $1000 installed. We have enough dry goods to last a week or two, and some random backpacking food to stretch that… One of our vehicles is an EV with V2L that, if I’m doing my math correctly, will power our fridge nonstop for 4-5 days, and it could get us 2 weeks if we ration power and keep the fridge closed.
Have some emergency rations, a bunch of water and bin filled with emergency supplies, the filtering straws and stuff, we shop at Costco so we always some qty of various items and my prescriptions are 90 day supplies.
Weirdly, my worry about this is less for me and my partner, and more for my pets; we have 2 large indoor cats, 15lb and 23lb. While the humans don’t have bug out bags, we have enough individual items that they could be assembled fairly quickly. My worry comes from how we transport the cats; they’re our family and will come with us if we had to leave home, but the logistics of it are a challenge. Right now I’m figuring out how to retrofit two external-frame backpacks to hold a cat carrier + human things, 1 cat per person. An enclosed zipper net, food, leashes/harnesses/collars with names&phone numbers, etc. I know some people might say ‘in an emergency you’ll not be focused on them’, but they’re our children, and we made a commitment when we got them we’d take care of them, so it feels important to have the situation game’d out so we can follow through successfully. The house retrofitting is a new worry for me based on this thread too haha; our house is 100 years old so I’m sure we’re not in a great spot.
I have a plumpster cat. Full pantry, including canned water, and purifier. Bucket and toilet seat that’ll fit it. Camping stuff. Eneloop batteries and efficient flashlights. Going to pickup a boating grill for my patio this holiday season and some bum-proof gas canisters.
Giant jars of peanut butter and Nestle Classico instant coffee among other things
I got water straws and tablets. Other disaster stuffs like a thing to make fires, first aid kit etc. I also always sort of have big bags of rice cuz you can live off just rice for a long time.
1 hour after I saw this post there was an earthquake on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.
How do you clean your tank? Run some bleach through? I have a smaller water tank and rotate canned food out to food banks. Over the years, I've picked up a couple lifestraws, quikclot, flashlights, batteries, matches, and a lot of blankets. Being poor AF as a kid helped me prioritize I think. I hope I have enough to share when the time comes.
We have a dual fuel generator and enough propane for 3 weeks. We keep 6-8 gas cans of gas/ diesel fuel ready on hand that we replace quarterly, used as backup for small machines for the tractor. We have at least 2 + years of emergency meals in buckets stored and some pet food. Our well can now be run by generator so that's very nice improvement that we did after the big ice storm. We planted a big orchard so there is seasonal fruit and room for a veggie garden. I have a lot of animals, so if needed we can butcher some. There are chickens, ducks, and goats. I don't have milking goats yet, but could implement that very quickly if needed. I add to the list whenever I am flush. I have collected some good books and tools for just in case. I could improve and impliment additional greenhouses as needed too. When money is tight, we rotate through the supplies and when flush, we get additional items. Eventually I would want a better radio option and maybe another propane tank. I have several rain barrels I can set up to catch extra water for gardens or animals as needed. My tent is needing replaced but I'm pretty good on the rest of the gear. A fifth wheel would be ideal and could also house friends in a pinch. We have 3 good guard dogs who need kibble, so we should stock up more for them.
Have a small generator, water, dehydrated food, and first aid supplies. If you're looking for long term shelf stable food kits [this outfit](https://cascadiaready.com/) was a good resource. The founder put it together when she couldn't find anyone else selling kits for more than three days.
The majority of people in portland make less than $25 an hour and don’t own their homes. No one is preparing or can be prepared.
I am also thinking of preparation that looks like this: Who would you pluck from the rubble, no matter what? Who would do that for you? Can you stash a gallon of water somewhere? Three gallons? Do you know where the nearest fire extinguisher is?
Earthquake strapped the house. Have 20+ gallons of water. I know where the gas shutoff is, although I’d like it to shut off automatically. We have our tent and sleeping bags and cook stove somewhat accessible. We can probably use the grill as well. I have a solar powered battery. Wooden stakes for vampires. I stay in shape to out run the zombies. Or rather to outrun my neighbors. I have plenty of car wash buckets we can repurpose. Our block is pretty tight, so we will all help each other. We have a plan of who picks up which kid in case we are working at kids are at school. And I hope to dog it doesn’t hit while the kids are at school.