What Have We Preppers Learned from Katrina?

[Barry Natchitoches]

Today begins the official Hurricane Season, so it seems like the perfect day to ask the question:


What have we preppers learned from Katrina, and other major disasters of recent times, that we might incorporate into our own family's preparations for future events?


I am serious about the question. Preppers should always have their eyes and ears open, and always learning to hone their "craft," that craft being preparing to handle emergencies now and in the future.


I know that I have learned alot of things from Katrina, so I'll start it off in the next post.


Oh, one thing: I have never before asked any censure of anything that was written in a thread I have begun, because I believe in open debate and freedom of thought. But please refrain from ugly comments about New Orleanians. If you learned that you will never move your family into a home that is below sea level, then so be it. It probably just means that you've moved your family into an area ripe for a different kind of major disaster -- like an earthquake, tornado, wild fire, other kinds of flooding, or blizzards, or whatever. Or you live in a terrorist hot spot. Or whatever. Because there are very few areas of this country that don't entail one risk or another if you live there.


Anyway, please lets keep this a thread with a positive tone. I would like to see this a thread that allows us to reflect on what we have learned, with an eye to helping our selves, our families and our communities in the future.



What have YOU learned from Katrina?

 

[mbabulldog]

This is what I have learned:

As far as the government is concerned, you're on your own. And, heaven forbid the do get involved, their involvement can only lead to more of a disaster than assistance. They will use the excuse to grab your assets, food, guns, etc.

Can't trust the sumbitches...In fact, the time to be really scared is when they say "trust us, we're from the government, and we're here to help".

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

What have I learned from Katrina?


Well, there are so many things that they jumble up in my mind. But I have tried to sort them out, so that they could be posted here and be of benefit to you.


Here are some of my thoughts:


First and foremost: don't look to .gov, or the Red Cross, or the Salvation Army, or any other big organization for help.


Maybe they will come through, maybe they will not. My family is way too important to me to chance it to somebody else to provide for them.


Going along with this, Katrina strengthened my resolve NEVER to voluntarily allow my family to end up in a .gov shelter.


I KNOW what the officials say about the wonderful, vacationlike conditions in the Superdome and the Convention Center, but did you notice that it was all spin after the fact? If you believe that all those reports of violence, rapes and deaths were all just unsubstantiated "rumor" then you prolly believe that Oswald was the lone gunman too. Believe that PR spin if you choose to, but my on the scene sources tell me that the original reports were the true ones, and the .gov spin later was PR damage control...


At any rate, do you want to risk YOUR family to even the remote chance that something like that could happen again?


I'll continue in another post.

 

[sssarawolf]

I come from a family where you are expected to pick yourself back up dust yourself off and go on. You cant be ready for everything that comes down the pike but you can darn well try. Last year we were faced with leaveing our home because of forest fires spent 3 weeks with things packed and ready to go, only the most important. how to books, clothes, arms, genealogy, food in 5 gal containers and canned goods in boxes, wheat grinder etc etc. Was not an enjoyable time. But then we have to realize there were people in the hurrican area prepared, took what they could and lost everything else.
Just do what you can now dont wait and see what hits.

 

[1919A6]

The primary lesson is...

we be f*&%#d!

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

More things Katrina taught me:


Have excellent insurance, but even that is not enough.


Take plenty of photos to document what you had, and keep them in an off premises site (for example, send a copy on CD to a few relatives living in distant cities). Keep receipts so you can prove what you paid for the stuff.


Especially take plenty of photos just before a disaster hits, if it is one you know about ahead of time, like with hurricanes. Document the date of the photos by getting the current day's paper and photographing it in one or two of your photos.


Then the minute you get back, take plenty more photos of all the damage done. Do NOT rely on the insurance agent or FEMA rep to honestly document your damage.


And then, from the outset, document every single time you talk with one of those guys on the phone, or see one at your house, or whatever. Document in great detail.


Document the damage you have in great detail with written word, official inspections and photos. Make sure you get copies of all official inspection reports -- which may be difficult or impossible with FEMA and some insurance companies. Document everytime you called asking for the report, including the name of the person you talked to, their extension number, time, date, what was said, what excuse was given for failure to produce the report, etc.


Keep copies of every paper that gets generated, every application you fill out, every request you make or they make. If the FEMA or insurance adjuster uses your can while they are at your place, make them sign a sheet of toilet paper recording their use of your "facilities" and have the TP notarized. If it is like any other piece of paper they get their hands on, it will be full of $hit, but keep it anyway -- you never know when you will need it.


Always keep copies of ALL insurance policies (the detailed copy) in your Bug Out Bag, along with your insurance rep's name, address and telephone number, and other information they will need. Keep copies of your apartment lease in there, or else the mortgage papers too.


And you will probably need a large supply of valium (pills are OK, IV solution would be better) for dealing with these guys. Don't forget the blood pressure pills.


If Katrina taught my sisters anything, it was that the relationship between you and that very amicable insurance agent that you have been paying premiums to for years can turn very adversarial in a brief moment when a major disaster sweeps through the area.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Keep a copy of all pertinent medical records for your family, especially if you have one or more members of your family who has a serious and ongoing illness. So many hundreds of thousands of medical records were lost during Katrina, and they can never be retrieved no matter what.

 

[Pearl]

After watching the mess last year and reading about the aftermath, I can think of only 2 things:

1) you are on your own for at least a week and possibly two; and
2) it would be best if you are inconspicuous and look like you don't need help or that you will otherwise be a 'problem' the authorities will have to 'fix'.

Pearl

 

[dimensiondancer]

In God and myself I trust.

Don't live in a hurricane path (the coast) without a plan for survival (like getting out) or another place to go or stay.

Or, don't live on the coast if you don't have a car or the ways and means to get out.

Or, don't live on the coast.

Don't expect outside help, especially "quick" help when there are miles and miles of destruction and millions of people in need. The government may want to act like a strong bully force but they are so tied up in red tape and their hands are so inept they couldn't find their own asses with both hands tied behind their backs. This goes for city and state gov. as well.

And as far as Hurricane Rita goes, know all the back roads beforehand. Leave early - days early, not hours early.

Even with a plan, $hit can still happen, have a second plan. Maybe a third plan.

Prepare for the worst, because it will happen.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

If you ARE ever forced to leave your home, and it is a situation where the rest of the country is intact (just your area has been hard hit), then place bringing your family photos, scrapbooks, and family heirlooms at a higher priority than carrying clothes or toiletries.


Why?


Because when you get where you are going, you can always buy new (or thrift shop) clothes. There will always be a tube of toothpaste to be had, and new toothbrushes and hair brushes will not set you back too badly.


Red Cross or FEMA may even help to pay for new clothes and toothpaste.


But you can never replace the old baby book with those old photographs of your parents when they were little tykes.


You can never replace your son's prized football trophy, or your daughter's favorite locket with photos, or the only teddy bear that your baby will hug when he/she needs to fall asleep.


Saving lives is most important, but in my opinion, saving family heirlooms, artifacts, and heritage are next in priority. I can always replace my wardrobe, but can never replace a lifetime of treasured photos.

 

[Cruiser]

I learned the following:

1. The Government is not your friend.
2. Don't plan on anybody helping you but yourself.
3. Never evacuate to a Government shelter.
4. Provide for your pets.
5. Keep all supplies (this includes guns) hidden, think low profile.
6. Make a plan far ahead of time. Know what you will do and when. Don't just go with the herd.
7. Review your insurance policy, know what it covers and what it does not.
8. When the government finally does show up it will screw it up in the worst way, lay low and take care of your self.

 

[Meemur]

These are some changes I made in response to last year's storms:

- I now have several back up plans. My cat is chipped (registered with a national registry), and I have several Xerox photos of her in the top of her cat carrier. There is also a leash and collar for her in the carrier. There are several places I can take her if she can't go with me for whatever reason.

- I've moved a lot of my preps into much less obvious places and am building an "invisible" storage area (nothing is truly invisible!)

- In the event that I have to bug out by car and take many preps with me, I picked up several smelly paint-covered tarps (and saved some old paint cans), so it looks like I have a home improvement mess in the back of my vehicle, not six months of canned goods.

- I've had long discussions with several like-minded friends in other areas about mutual assistance plans -- what's expected, etc. We'll review those in the coming weeks.

I didn't trust the gov't (FEMA, etc) before, and I trust them even less now. I plan to do everything in my power to avoid involvement with them, unless it's along the lines of temporary, paid employment.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

We need to store 3 days worth of provisions???????????







Yeah, right! (Definitely READ SARCASM into that statement!)



The ABSOLUTE MINIMUM that you should have stored up is 2 WEEKS WORTH of water, food, prescription meds, non-prescription meds, and other supplies. Double or tripple up on the anti-diarrheal medicine and Pedialite, because diarrhea is rampant after most emergencies. Anti-fungal ointment is another thing you may not normally need, but will need in an emergency situation. Working at hard labor in this southern heat can really get to a man in sensitive areas after a few days, if you know what I mean!


Also, a minimum of 2 weeks supply of clean socks. If worse comes to worse, you CAN wear clothes that are dirty if you have no other choice, but your feet need extra care in order to do all the work you will need to do, so strong, hard soled shoes and clean, fresh socks are a MUST!

 

[Fuzzychick]

Honestly Barry, it just reinforced the fact that we're on our own...yep Brownie, you're doing a great job.

 

[Hamilton Felix]

What Have We Preppers Learned from Katrina?

We've learned that we are on our own. (As free individuals, we should have known that; only slaves and other livestock expect Master to take care of them.)

We've learned that various organizations, such as FEMA and local Police, are likely to make survival much more difficult.

We've learned to have a bugout plan -- and an alternate plan -- so we can move quickly when the need arises.

We've learned that when weather authorities say a hurricane is coming, GET OUT SOON! Waiting until the last minute is very dangerous and possibly suicidal.

We've learned that when it's time to rebuild after the event, government agencies will once again make life more difficult -- but the opportunities for corruption if your in construction are tremendous.

And if anyone didn't already know that insurance companies are NEVER your friends, he should know by now.

 

[Kent]

If you ARE ever forced to leave your home, and it is a situation where the rest of the country is intact (just your area has been hard hit), then place bringing your family photos, scrapbooks, and family heirlooms at a higher priority than carrying clothes or toiletries.
.

Make copies of family photos and make CDs, place in safe area away from home.

 

[lafrteacher]

Stay away from cities...it's where all the disaster victims go first.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

One thing that concerns me about those who have alot of food stored up:


In New Orleans in the days after the storm hit, there was at least one report I read on the front page of the Times-Picayune, of a rather well to do Arab businessman who had prepped like so many of us, and as a result was doing OK for himself after the storm.


Well, that is, until police officials stumbled onto him in the privacy of his own home, with all of his stored preps surrounding him.


This was a well to do guy who had alot of money (unlike me and my family), so his income level alone could explain his stash.


But instead of believing that somebody might actually have had the foresight to stock up for emergencies ahead of time, they chose instead to believe that he had looted for them -- even though they had no reports of anybody seeing him loot or do anything unlawful. Nor had they seen him enter his home with anything.


They arrested the guy on suspicion of looting, and the guy spent the next three weeks locked up in various jails with his family not being able to find him and him not being able to get to a lawyer. (This was primarily because the criminal justice system fell apart just like everything else did in the days and weeks after the storm. Prisoners were lost, sometimes even for months, down there after the storm).


You might want to say that part of the reason that he was arrested was because he was Arab, but still in all....


How do we prove that we legally purchased the stuff after the fact, if society collapses around us and we are the only ones who have a large store of provisions?


And how to we protect at least some of our stuff from official "commandeering?"

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

As Doc1 stressed when he got back online after the storm, if you are faced with a disaster you know is coming, get the heck out of dodge before all heck breaks loose. Beat the crowds onto the highway. Don't wait around any longer than necessary to get on the road.


Take back roads if you have good maps and know where you are going. (And if you don't have good maps, then get them.)


Head to a place different than most of the sheeple.


For example, with Katrina, most folks headed either to Houston, other parts of Texas, or else Atlanta.


For those who thought "out of the box" and headed to Memphis, they did not have to travel any longer than the others (in fact, Atlanta is further from New Orleans than is Memphis), but because not as many people came up here, the folks who came to Memphis got better treatment and there were more resources per person to spread among the evacuees.


Of course, if that word gets around and next time everybody heads up to Memphis, then it may be better to head to Houston or Atlanta instead.


The point is, head to a place where some folks are going to go (so the machinery will get into motion to help you when you arrive), but don't go where the majority of sheeple will go.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

If EVERYBODY is wanting to evacute an area at one time, you can bet that traffic will progress at a snails pace, the gas stations will be out of gas before you can get a fill up, and there will be no food or water or gas to buy along the route.


So....


Keep the tank near full at all times;


Store some extra fuel in your storage shed SAFELY for just such an emergency (remember to put Stabil in it before storing it);


Have food you can eat on the road ready (pop top canned foods, dry cereals, Pop Tarts, peanuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, whatever....), so you can just throw them into the car and go.


Have bottled water on hand -- plenty of it -- for the same reason.


And disturbing as this may seem, have diapers for toddlers who have recently been toilet trained, and Depends for all other members of the family. Put them on before you get on the road. If your evacuation trip is going to put you into snail paced traffic for the next 12 to 24 hours or more, exactly where and when do you think you are going to go to the bathroom? (Especially if you are a female).

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Have leashes or pet carriers for your treasured four legged family members.


Did you know that research done back around 2001 or so (before Katrina) revealed that those least likely to evacuate a dangerous area were those who had cats.


Why?


Because without a cat carrier, cats are so much more difficult to transport. So people would just stay home with their pets.


Have pet carriers or leashes for all pets you plan on evacking with you.


Also have pet food and water (and bowls) to feed and water them with. Litter for the cats.


Walking the dog might be a problem in a long traffic jam moving along at the whopping speed of 5 miles per hour. Don't know what to do there.


Make sure you have a Bug Out Bag for your pets, and include their vet records -- especially proof of shots -- in there.


When you get to your destination, you may have to pay to put them in a kennel for awhile. Kennels will not take pets without shots, so your pets may get the joy of getting stabbed with the needle again and you get the pleasure of paying for a second set of shots if you do not have those papers.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

FRS radios are relatively inexpensive now, and they can allow communication from one car to another if your family is split between two cars in a slow moving evacuation caravan.


At minimum, have at least one FRS radio (with extra batteries) for every car that might be driven out of the danger zone.


Best yet, have one FRS radio per family member, in case you all end up in a shelter or someplace despite your best efforts. That will allow the entire family to be in communication, no matter where in the shelter you might be at a moment in time.

 

[CelticRose]

In the general direction of ssarewolf among others....... As of this moment, I have out B.O.B. filled and ready to go, including vacuum packed folders with copies of all important documents, photos of the house and our effects (also downloaded onto a a disc) ..... Copies of my husbands pertinent medical information, also all papers for the dawg ....... Two weeks of his daily meds, vacuum sealed which I rotate every two weeks (it's time consuming but sice he takes so many medications and they change so often due to his conditions; it a 'must do') ....A list of all his medications, including prescriptions for all his medications and copies of all his medication from both the VA and the pharmacy ...... Clothes / foot wear / personal items and a few comfort items ( deck of cards / small hand held game for husband / paperback book for me / note pad / pens) ......

On top of our basic B.O.B. is a second bag filled with two weeks worth of food for us and out pet, basic cleaning supplies and first aid things ....... Including assorted basic food prep items (small saucepan / can opener / bowls, etc)

Next to that are bottles of water to grab and go ........

I've always tried to 'be prepared' but after Katrina, know I can always learn more..... I've made various evacution routes up on the computer and printed then out with info on hotels / motels along the way ...... As well as other important information......

Last week the car was serviced ... We've checked the gennie and have gas.....

I've got a small'ish bag filled with sample sized items (shampoo / toothpaste and the like) to toss into the trunk if we have to leave..... More small things we might need as well as small items to either give to someone who needs them or to barter with ......... Who knows?

Perhaps the single most important lesson from Katrina? Don't wait til the PTB tell you to evac.... if you know it's likely to hit you and you aren't up to riding it out; leave. Now. Listen to your gut and get outta Dodge.... Better to lead the pack than be bogged down in the masses trying to outrun a 'cane (or other problem) at the last minute ..........

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Landline telephone systems go down.


Cell systems go down.


Ham radio can get through when all other forms of communication fail, so getting a ham radio license is a very good thing to do. And you can get the Technician's level license without learning morse code!


I would encourage folks to do this.


But in addition, one surprise (something even I did not know pre-Katrina) is that there are times when you cannot get a phone call out, but you can get a text message out.


In the aftermath of Katrina, there were people whose lives were saved because they were able to text a message telling authorities where they were. People hidden in attics who could not break open to the roofs were not visible to the helicopters and could have died, but those who could get text messages out telling folks where they were got visits from the rescuers who would break open the roof to get into the attic to check the reports out. Many people saved that way.

 

[kozanne]

Katrina was a huge lesson for me.

1. You are on your own, do everything you can do to stock up on the basic necessities.

2. Find your own place to bug out to -- what I saw in that sports stadium really woke me up to this one.

3. Have a means of communication with the outside, i.e., radio, walkie talkies.

4. Be prepared to defend one's 'turf', family and preps if needs be. Don't like to think about that, but that is the reality of it.

 

[Mark D]

Don't live in hurricane country.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

One last thought for now....


Don't assume that just because you are up to your ears in disaster that other people (whose lives are chugging along as if all were normal) will understand your situation.


The Vietnam vets learned this when they came back home from he11 and, instead of being respected or at least treated decently, were called "Baby Killers" and treated very horribly. The worst scars for many of those vets were the psychological scars that came out of the meanspirited treatment they faced when they got back home, from people who had never walked the jungle and did not have a clue what it was like over there -- but sure THOUGHT that they did.


Katrina has evoked similar reactions among many Americans. Although the response to Katrina evacuees in the first days after their plight became known was exceptional -- like none I have ever witnessed before other than 9-11 and maybe the Oklahoma City bombing -- it eventually turned to anger, disgust and scapegoating.


There were several reasons for this:


1, the media's portrayal of the Welfare Queen bellyacheing because she was not provided with champagne and caviar and a suite at The Plaza Hotel for life;


2, the fact that there was political in-fighting between city, state and federal leaders instead of cooperation;


3, the fact that so much money is going down there, but it is NOT getting to the people who need it -- it's getting siphoned away by vice President Cheney's beloved Halliburton and other out of state, wealthy, politically connected businesses instead. The American people hate seeing so many of their dollars go down there to begin with, then they hate hearing from normal citizens who live down there who are saying that they need help, and the sheeple are thinking to themselves "Why do they need help when there is already so much money going down there?" But what they don't realize is that after the politically well connected siphon off the lions share of the money, it means that there is no money left for the average citizens to use to rebuild.


4, the fact that the insurance companies are NOT paying legitimate claims is making it near impossible for people to rebuild. What do you do when your insurance company will not pay your legitimate claim? Complain about it? That is what YOU would do. That is what I would do. But when the New Orleans or Gulf Coast residents do it, people in other parts of the country are getting angrier and angrier. They just don't want to hear about it anymore.


It is natural and normal to complain about the unfair treatment, especially when you cannot progress on with your life while all of this is hanging in the balance.


But people in other parts of the country not only are loosing interest in helping, but they are getting down right angry when you do the only thing you can do to try and help yourself against the system -- complain about the unfair treatment.


So I guess one big thing I have learned from Katrina is how helpful people can be in the short run, but how cruel and how harmful people can be in the longer haul, if the situation is so large that no quick solution can be had.

 

[eXe]

It wasnt that I learned many new things, but I did see that some items needed to be bumped up.

Gas storage is bumped up now

More ammo

Food is good (We are probably good for a year here lol)
Did pick up more batteries (If you saw just how many batteries I have.. you would probably laugh that I needed more) but what the heck.. ya never know.

Things I did learn.

In any disaster be the ghost. Don't let anyone see or know of anything you have just be quiet and keep everything hidden.

Cops come to your door, Dont tell them anything about firearms. "Nope officer dont have anything since I sold them all to the gun shop years ago"

Blend in, dont look too full or too hungry.

Whatever you do, leave the state if you must, but DONT go to any govt run shelter.

Oh and one least thing.. I made myself a few large rubbermaid containers now with 4 weeks of clothing, food, and supplies, even extra shoes.

TSHTF, I toss em in the truck with my BOBs Money/PMs and firearms and we are good to go.

 

[woodshed]

1) Stay the hell out of cities.

2) When people show up to help, do NOT answer your door.

3) If you have to wait for an evacuation order, you have waited too long.

 

[ferret]

Either:
1. Get out of town early
or
2. Keep an axe in the attic.

If your evacuation trip is going to put you into snail paced traffic for the next 12 to 24 hours or more, exactly where and when do you think you are going to go to the bathroom? (Especially if you are a female).

I keep these in my car: http://www.traveljohn.com/1-1.php

 

[Shooting Star]

I think the most important thing, do not depend on the government for anything!!!

 

[biere]

What I learned.

The government in all its forms and minions is not really here to help you. It is there to take property and freedoms from people and waste tax payers dollars.

Some of the people who had insurance and paid their premiums now wish they had just burned that money because they would have known from the start who was going to pay to rebuild their place.

I am better set up to bug in and appear to not be here or blend in if I am out and about.

If I bug out, I am way better setup to load all important stuff up and get gone. I will pass the cities everyone else stops at because I won't care about coming back to check on my stuff.

From the dome to fema housing to firearm confiscations to the prepper who got arrested in the above post to who is responsable for providing to those in need, I just decided only one person can do it for me and I better accept that and do it.

If my insurance pays out, I consider it to be about like social security being around in 30 or 40 years. It will be nice but I know I can't really count on it.

 

[hitssquad]

Don't live in hurricane country.

Why not?
http://www.monolithic.com/plan_design/FEMA

 

[adgal]

I learned that too many people do rely on the government and when they are disappointed they get angry and they get dangerous.

I learned that the safest place to be is away - away from the crowds, away from the shelters, away from the "government."

I learned that what is "expidient" to local authorities could be the kiss of death to you and your loved ones.

I learned that the best and the worst come out in people during a crisis. And since I don't know who is going to do what - I rather just take my family and quitely go away.

 

[Terriannie]

Thanks Barry for this wonderful thread especially on this the first day of hurricane season. Most of the suggestions I knew already but there were a couple I didn't think about such as the possibility of confiscation of supplies or even arrest due to suspicion of looting!! Perhaps some 'out the box' preparedness is called for here. Dated pictures as proof stored at an out of state friend's house maybe?

As I already know I will probably not evacuate too far if at all, I am as prepared as I can be. (DH is usually called on to help babsit the refinery and I will not leave him.)

The only thing I can add to the already extensive list is to make SURE all clothes are washed and the house cleaned. There is no telling when electricity or even water will come back on and if you have to resort to hand washing, underthings are so much easier than jeans and shirts for as long as possible.

Whether you stay or even if you bug out, stock your house with water and fill your bathtubs up making sure the plug doesn't leak and if it does, weigh down a flat stopper with bricks. (If you evacuated and are returning you may get word that your area has electric and water only to find out they didn't get to your block.) That tub of water will really cool you off in more ways than one.

 

[theoutlands]

And how to we protect at least some of our stuff from official "commandeering?"

Don't let it known you have "stuff" worth commandeering, for as long as possible. Once the govt trained monkeys show up to take it for the good of OTHERS, shoot them. At this point, they are looters. If fed idiots will steal a contracted disaster-relief generator from a PARISH GOVT FACILITY, they'll take from anyone. Nipping that sort of behaviour in the bud is the ONLY way to prevent it.

(then you could post their heads on pikes with "looters will be shot" signs underneath...)

 

[rolph]

Get the best insurance coverage you can afford, even if it means doing without other things.

Stay the hell away from the government.

You can never have enough water storage.

A pick axe is an essential survival tool.

Never put all your eggs in a home basket. Have resources to setup shop elsewhere for an extended period of time.

Have your important things/papers ready to bug out at all times.

 

[Y2kO]

What Have We Preppers Learned from Katrina?

That you need to hire Blackwater if you don't want to be forced out of your home. I don't think we have the firepower..........

Of course, if we had some Israeli uniforms, we could stand around our house with guns and that would take care of it.

(Note: Both Blackwater and Israeli contractors were hired by the rich to protect their homes in NO.)

 

[hitssquad]

Homeowner's insurance vs secure homes, again

Get the best insurance coverage you can afford, even if it means doing without other things.

timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1885293&highlight=insurance#post1885293

=-=
No one needs [...] insurance. They need homes that cannot be affected by [disasters].
=-=


http://www.monolithic.com/pres/disaster

=-=
When is a Disaster Not a Disaster? The Editor asks "is a disaster a disaster if nothing bad happens?" It is much like the question "If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it- did it make a sound?"
[...]
There is a lot of talk about "safe rooms." What about "safe houses" and "safe schools"?
=-=


Insurance companies cannot recompense their policy-holders for their losses after an incident of the major type of disasters that get focused on at TB2K. Simple arithmetic shows that it would be financially impossible. Insurance companies cannot print money. Recent history provides further evidence: every single time in recent history that there has been a major disaster in the United States, legions of policy holders were not paid what they were "owed". The government excused them -- again, every simgle time -- on the basis of inability to pay.

Stay the hell away from the government.

Insurance companies and governments are two types of the same thing, Rolph. Both insurance companies and governments serve to address conflicts between intra-group and inter-group needs.

 

[Y2kO]

How do we prove that we legally purchased the stuff after the fact, if society collapses around us and we are the only ones who have a large store of provisions?

Never let them in your house to see what you've got. Once they are in, you've got trouble. Lock the doors. Don't answer the door. Use pull down opaque blinds so that no light (from your flashlight/kerosene light) shows thru at night.

Now this assumes that you are not in a flood zone with water up to your chin - where they are justified in knocking down your door to check for victims.