Prepare with Food

During the early response period following a major disaster, only those who have prepared an emergency food supply will have the certainty of food.  

Snacks are best used as treats, not the entire emergency diet, but they are vital supplies in your kit and will sustain you and provide basic energy: Granola, protein bars, nuts, chips, preserved cheese spread, peanut butter, cookies, crackers and little restaurant size packets of honey, jam/jelly. More substantial emergency food boosts morale/comfort and provides more stamina.  

The Challenge of Getting Safe WATER to a Gathering Place

Water is more vital than food, because our kidneys begin to shut down after a few days without it. At a minimum the experts tell us 6.5 oz a day will keep our kidneys working, but you will absolutely want more for comfort and healthy hydration.  You must bring your water supply with you to your gathering place.  This is a prime reason to have a kit on wheel—water is heavy -- 8.3lbs per gallon. 

Water Suggestions:  At a gathering place you will have needs for water in addition to drinking. One gallon of water/person/day is the absolute minimum.  Consider cooking, re-hydrating food, hygiene, sanitation, first aid. Place water packets or bottles in all components of your kit. 

Wheelies & Sanitation

In a previous article, I presented my basic 96-hour kit that was wearable.  But I cannot carry toileting supplies, sufficient water, sheltering, appropriate seasonal change of clothes, sleep gear, mess gear, etc., on my body.  So. . .

I have added “Wheels” to create the primary components of my sustainable kit for 2 aging adults with health limitations.  I will be including suggestions, but they are not meant to overshadow your own ideas of what you might want/need in your kit.

I have pre-loaded 4 “wheelies”.  In a walking evacuation, we would each pull 2 carts pre-packed ready to roll.  They are intended for on-foot use only, not for lifting into a vehicle. I have practiced walking to my nearest gathering place dressed in my emergency outfit and pulling 2 carts along flat roads.  

Evacuation on Foot

On-Foot Evacuation is my primary concern for those of us who are aging; there is not much instruction for us on how to prepare to evacuate our home and walk to our nearest community gathering places WITH enough appropriate and essential supplies. 

Do you know the location of you gathering place?  As an example, the community of Canyon Rim in the city of Millcreek will gather at/on the grounds of Rosecrest Elementary or the Canyon Rim Academy grounds. 

Sheltering at Home or on Your own Property

(Excerpt from the "PRESENTATION: Three Response Strategies and Networking" post.)

Many of us would strongly elect to remain in our home, or at least on our own property in the event of a disaster. The key point: Is it safe?

A natural disaster or man-caused event could make us feel it is unsafe to leave our home unattended.  If it comes to a choice between safe-guarding your life or well-being, or protecting your home, please protect yourself. 

Evacuation by Auto

(Excerpt from the "PRESENTATION: Three Response Strategies and Networking" post.)

The most likely emergency that will prompt auto evacuation is a wildfire or quickly out of control series of house fires near you.  I saw that happen in Tooele just a few years ago.  

You must consider that flames could reach your home before firefighters could extinguish them. Your focus in such circumstance it to GET OUT IMMEDIATELY.

Sometimes, entire parts of cities get consumed so quickly, residents cannot safely exit with any belongings.  

PRESENTATION: Three Response Strategies and Networking

The information herein is useful to all ages, but is directed toward seniors -- because our age group suffers disproportionately more injuries and fatalities in disasters.

I can attest to this from personal experience in 3 Earthquakes and 3 Civil Riots AND from searching out Lessons Learned from each national disaster. 

In all disasters I have studied, missteps -- primarily, communication breakdowns -- were made among the professionals that cost senior lives. The most dramatic is the final report about the Maui fire, made public in October 2024, revealing that 75% of fatalities were age 64 or older.  It is heartbreaking.

However, the primary reasons our age group suffers disproportionately comes down to US.  First, many of us older people are often NOT prepared at all; or, second, if we have of a kit, it is likely insufficient and inappropriate for our aging needs; and third, most seniors are not networked with younger, stronger neighbors who care, living on their same street, or connected to community or religious groups committed to include them.