Disaster Preparedness

[betsy]

Terrorist attack on anything is possible and is unpredictable. Some experts have been saying that food and water supply are at high risk. Following the suggestions on preparing for natural disasters (I think through the Red Cross), I had started stocking up on ready-to-eat canned items (planned with nutrition and palatability in mind), and water enough for a month (doubled the amount suggested in preparing for natural disasters). Way back during the Y2K scare, I stumbled on a survivalist site which gave tons of helpful tips.

The threat will always be with us...therefore, this stock-pile will be a continuous effort. We have to use up and replace these items based on expiry or best-before dates.

What I would find really helpful is for manufacturers to put a consumer-friendly best-before date...instead of codes. Campbell products are straight-forward with their dates...but the others still need deciphering.

Is anyone preparing too?

[margrace]

A poll on the news last night asking Canadians to rate priorities in what they needed most put a terrorist attack at 1%, that having been said yes we do need to prepare for natural disasters. The only worry we might have, living in the country, is loss of hydro, and that only for our water. We are working on a way to pump water in the event of an outage.

I always have had 6 months food a head. I do my own canning. We heat with wood so have very little to worry about.

[Nocrap]

A poll on the news last night asking Canadians to rate priorities in what they needed most put a terrorist attack at 1%, that having been said yes we do need to prepare for natural disasters. The only worry we might have, living in the country, is loss of hydro, and that only for our water. We are working on a way to pump water in the event of an outage.

I always have had 6 months food a head. I do my own canning. We heat with wood so have very little to worry about.

After living through the Ice Storm, I have learned to keep a supply of necessary items on hand, but not with the thought of a future Terrorist attack....just the arch villain Mother Nature.

I think that future attacks could be nuclear and we'd pretty much be toast anyway, so I plan for today and the immediate future. I don't want to spend my days in a bunker mentality.

[betsy]

A poll on the news last night asking Canadians to rate priorities in what they needed most put a terrorist attack at 1%, that having been said yes we do need to prepare for natural disasters. The only worry we might have, living in the country, is loss of hydro, and that only for our water. We are working on a way to pump water in the event of an outage.

I always have had 6 months food a head. I do my own canning. We heat with wood so have very little to worry about.

6 months food per head? Wow! Right now I'd say I have about 2 weeks food/water stocked (and including medications/personal hygiene/first aid)....still building up my supply.

The first time I did a stockpile (Y2K), I ended up throwing some away. So now I'm really planning it.

You're lucky you could heat with wood. That's where we have a problem in case of power outage in the middle of winter.

[margrace]

I realize that having lived in the country, mostly on farms, all my life gave me a different perspecitve on food storage. There has been a concentrated effort, by some organizations. to discourage the storage of food and using scare tactics to stop the use of canning for food storage. I rather suspect that it was deliberate.

I have heard people say they only buy food for several days. Others who cannot fathom having food ahead. They do not undestand me and I do not understand them. I was horrified at what happened to people in high rises when we had the hydro blackout. People could not access their money, credit cards and bank cards did not work, it sure smartened my up.

Now we have the threat of home invasions, it makes keeping any cash on hand scarry. No part of the population is safe from these. They happen in our nothern sparcely populated areas as well as the south.

There was a small book published by the Mormon church in the library about 30 years ago. I can't remember what the name of it was but it showed how people could survive on very few items, I think it was four. There also was a book by a man with the last name LONG I think who showed how to prepare and save for these emergencies.

[Teddy Ballgame]

- I'm doing my disaster preparedness by urging my new federal government to abandon the disgusting and disfunctional but politically expedient anti-Americanism and anti-Bush rhetoric of the Chretien-Martin gang as well as to encourage the new government to rebuild our armed forces run down shamefully by the Liberals and to tighten up our farcically liberal immigration, refugee, border security and criminal justice systems.

- These things will help to ensure that the Americans continue to lead the war on islamo-fascist terrorism, continue to discharge the main burden for North American defence against terrorism on our shores, and that we also finally play a strong part in our own defence against terrorists.

- Other than that, and keeping my eyes and ears open to possible terrorists and terrorist attacks around me, I don't think there is much I can really do to prepare for such eventualities.

- I also am something of a fatalist in these matters and reckon that if my time isn't up, it isn't up. For example, I was no more than three seconds away from being blown to bits by the nutter who tried to kill our political leaders in the Centre Block in 1966. But this guy had miscalculated his dynamite fuses and, fortunately for me as the only person in the hallway between the washroom and the Visitors Gallery at the time, he blew himself up inside the washroom with his hand on the thick oak door as he was about to open the washroom and stride across the 50 feet to the Visitors Gallery and enter the Gallery to throw the dynamite down on the floor of the Commons, thereby wiping out Pearson, Diefenbaker, Douglas, etc. I've also had other close scrapes with death. It doesn't keep me awake.

- This reminds me of Mulroney's remarks the other evening when he received the environmentalist award and was musing about his situation exactly one year ago when he was very near death. Said Brian, "I'm like the old Irishman who said that every morning when he awoke he would stretch both his arms as far as he could in opposite directions and, if neither one was pushing up against the sides of a wooden box, he knew he was having a pretty good day."

[betsy]

In the event of any attack, imagine the panic that will ensue in food outlets. Although we can never be sure if we do survive an attack, the lesser people on the streets the better.

[August1991]

For example, I was no more than three seconds away from being blown to bits by the nutter who tried to kill our political leaders in the Centre Block in 1965. But this guy had miscalculated his dynamite fuses and, fortunately for me as the only person in the hallway between the washroom and the Visitors Gallery at the time, he blew himself up inside the washroom with his hand on the thick oak door as he was about to open the washroom and stride across the 50 feet to the Visitors Gallery and enter the Gallery to throw the dynamite down on the floor of the Commons, thereby wiping out Pearson, Diefenbaker, Douglas, etc.

I recall having a parliamentary security guard show me the washroom and a dent in a brass rail supposedly from the explosion.

"What did he say, Mike? What did he say?" The man who was asked the question was the Honourable Michael Starr, member for the singularly named riding of Ontario in the province of Ontario, and the man who asked the question was his seatmate, the Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker, his party's chief and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

It was May 18, 1966, and a bomb had just gone off in one of the washrooms outside the Ladies Gallery. There was a loud "whomp" heard in the Commons Chamber, and a number of Members hurriedly ran out of it.

Diefenbaker, who had not been paying attention to the Member who was addressing the Chamber at the time, thought the hubbub had something to do with what that Member had said, hence his question, "What did he say, Mike? What did he say?"

Had the bomb not exploded prematurely in the washroom, had its maker made his way into the Ladies Gallery and tossed it into the middle of the Chamber, Starr, Diefenbaker, and other members could have been killed. Hansard would also have lost one of its best reporters, Jack Dyer, an Albertan and proud westerner, who was the reporter on the floor at the time.

Paul Joseph Chartier, the man who brought the bomb into Parliament, was killed in the washroom when it exploded prematurely. He was described as a person of deranged mind. In present-day parlance he would be called a terrorist.

Link

[Leafless]

Betsy

You wrote- " Is anyone preparing to?"

We have always been fairly well stocked but not necessarily for an impending diaster or catastrophe but just to ensure a selection of basics is always available.

But I don't really know if this would in itself would guarantee anyones salavation in the event of a major diaster or attack or whatever.

The problem is living in a conjested area (city, town etc.) faced with a major food shortage, it would just be a matter of time before you or I are found out that we posses food and could be possibly assaulted or even killed for whatever food you or I might have.

This scenario is not far fetched as from what I understand any major disruption in food delivery to our supermarkets, the shelfs would be bare in a mere 3-days or possibly longer or shorter depending where you live.

This also could be coupled with the fact that our military being so small would never be able to manage to ensure the majority or maybe even any citizen's have basic supplies of food and water and would be jeopordized even further with medium to large scale uncontrolled violence.

Look at the horror stories from New Orleans arising from hurricane Katrina in the most powerful and well equipped country in the world.

[geoffrey]

Yup if you've got all that food, you either better live in an inaccessible place or have a gun per family member too.

In a real disaster where there is no food for a month, people will kill to feed their families no doubt.

[Teddy Ballgame]

I recall having a parliamentary security guard show me the washroom and a dent in a brass rail supposedly from the explosion.

"What did he say, Mike? What did he say?" The man who was asked the question was the Honourable Michael Starr, member for the singularly named riding of Ontario in the province of Ontario, and the man who asked the question was his seatmate, the Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker, his party's chief and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

Paul Joseph Chartier, the man who brought the bomb into Parliament, was killed in the washroom when it exploded prematurely. He was described as a person of deranged mind. In present-day parlance he would be called a terrorist.

- August1991 ... If you would like more detail, there is a softcover book published by Borealis Press in 2005 titled "The mad Bomber of Parliament Hill" written by an Ottawa lawyer named James Fontana.

- At the time, I was finishing my degree in political science at Carleton and my mother was working on The Hill. She arranged a Members Gallery pass for me and I made a point of using it at least once a week for Question Period and/or the major debates of the time such as on capital punishment, the new flag, etc. I recall one day meeting the actor Gordon Pinsent who was playing an MP named Quentin Durgens (sic) in a weekly CBC TV drama of the same name. Pinsent was at the security desk when I came by on my way to the Gallery and a commissionaire was trying to phone upstairs to an MP's staffer who had prmised the actor a Gallery Pass. However, the line was busy. Being a fan of the show, I immediately loaned Pinsent my pass and then went and got another from my mother. We sat together in the Gallery for an hour or so and Pinsent was as friendly a Newfoundlander in person as he was in movies like The Rowdy Man.

- Anyhow, the day of the bomber was a lovely summery day and I was a few minutes late getting to the Hill. By the time I arrived, the Members Gallery was full for Question Period so I went around to a general visitors gallery to see if I could get a seat there. As I was looking for a seat through the glass door into the gallery, I suddenly felt a brief rumbling of the floor like a small earthquake and heard a loud blast as from a cannon. Then, I also smelled what I later learned was the smell of burning dynamite powder. I remember thinking that it was past two o'clock so it was strange they would fire the noon hour cannon so late. A moment later, the hallway which had been empty except for me got crowded as the commissionaires herded me and everyone else on that floor of the building and in the galleries and the chambre outside onto the lawns of Parliament Hill.

- None of us knew exactly what had happened so we all stood around for several minutes gossiping and speculating before making our way elsewhere since the actual parliamentary session was cancelled for the rest of the day.

- On the evening news, we learned about the mad bomber and I realized that as the only one between the washroom and the gallery that I'd have been killed if the bomber Paul Chartier had an extra two seconds to open the thick and heavy washroom door before his dynamite exploded.

- It may interest you to know that while there have been some security improvements on Parliament Hill in the subsequent forty years, security there remains laughably inefficient and lax compared with places like Congress in Washington and Westminister in London. For example, we have no less than five different types of security personnel on the Hill from RCMP to private guards for hire and these five operate in "splendid isolation" without even a means of communicating between the different groups. And we still have no bulletproof or other glass partitions seperating the Commons chambre from the visitors galleries so that a crazed megalomaniac like Chartier or a programmed islamo-fascist terrorist could even today throw the same sticks of dynamite that Chartier planned to throw from a seat in the gallery to the middle of the floor of the chambre, thereby blowing away our national leaders. In contrast, the Americans were smart enough to equip their congressional chambres with thick bullet and bomb proof glass in 1951 or 52.

- So we were lucky in 1966 and it seems we still count on luck today. This, to me, is ridiculous and I and others have pointed out for years some of the security shortfalls on The Hill without managing to rouse the sombulent bureaucrats in the Speaker's office to do very much about it. I just hope it doesn't take a major security disaster to finally get comprehensive and effective action to properly protect our leaders and representatives.

[margrace]

Four Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan, the most in one day since Korea. I wonder if the Canadian tax payers stomach will go for this.

[scribblet]

Terrorist attack on anything is possible and is unpredictable. Some experts have been saying that food and water supply are at high risk. Following the suggestions on preparing for natural disasters (I think through the Red Cross), I had started stocking up on ready-to-eat canned items (planned with nutrition and palatability in mind), and water enough for a month (doubled the amount suggested in preparing for natural disasters). Way back during the Y2K scare, I stumbled on a survivalist site which gave tons of helpful tips.

The threat will always be with us...therefore, this stock-pile will be a continuous effort. We have to use up and replace these items based on expiry or best-before dates.

What I would find really helpful is for manufacturers to put a consumer-friendly best-before date...instead of codes. Campbell products are straight-forward with their dates...but the others still need deciphering.

Is anyone preparing too?

We are not prepared, but I remember years ago looking into buying dried food, never did. Actually it would be a smart move to stock up, just never get around to it.

[betsy]

Terrorist attack on anything is possible and is unpredictable. Some experts have been saying that food and water supply are at high risk. Following the suggestions on preparing for natural disasters (I think through the Red Cross), I had started stocking up on ready-to-eat canned items (planned with nutrition and palatability in mind), and water enough for a month (doubled the amount suggested in preparing for natural disasters). Way back during the Y2K scare, I stumbled on a survivalist site which gave tons of helpful tips.

The threat will always be with us...therefore, this stock-pile will be a continuous effort. We have to use up and replace these items based on expiry or best-before dates.

What I would find really helpful is for manufacturers to put a consumer-friendly best-before date...instead of codes. Campbell products are straight-forward with their dates...but the others still need deciphering.

Is anyone preparing too?

We are not prepared, but I remember years ago looking into buying dried food, never did. Actually it would be a smart move to stock up, just never get around to it.

And from what Leafless and Geoffrey pointed out....we'd best keep it quiet too. And have a good hiding place for the food...just in case. Keep a good amount in the kitchen pantry as a "decoy".

The government must have some contingency plans by now in the scenario of the food supply being hit, after all it's been several years since 9/11.

[geoffrey]

Our government... actions for counter-terrorism? Are you kidding? Contingency plans?

Let's be realistic, our borders are still relatively unsecure and we don't have a ports police. Obviously its not a big concern, definitely not enough that I'd trust the government to protect me in case of massive terrorism or environmental disaster.

Landslide Annie was in charge of that portfolio, and now we have Stock. I'm hoping his wetsuit jetksi antics will protect us more than Annie's shrill voice from hell, but really, with most Canadians ignorant to the realities of the world, its hard to convince taxpayers that someone is actually trying to kill us, right now. So we'd rather spend our money on putting kids in big institutionalised daycare, than actually protecting them from the terrorists that have explicited said we are on their list.

If there is a disaster, assume your on your own. History would agree with that statement.

[blueblood]

Our government... actions for counter-terrorism? Are you kidding? Contingency plans?

Let's be realistic, our borders are still relatively unsecure and we don't have a ports police. Obviously its not a big concern, definitely not enough that I'd trust the government to protect me in case of massive terrorism or environmental disaster.

Landslide Annie was in charge of that portfolio, and now we have Stock. I'm hoping his wetsuit jetksi antics will protect us more than Annie's shrill voice from hell, but really, with most Canadians ignorant to the realities of the world, its hard to convince taxpayers that someone is actually trying to kill us, right now. So we'd rather spend our money on putting kids in big institutionalised daycare, than actually protecting them from the terrorists that have explicited said we are on their list.

If there is a disaster, assume your on your own. History would agree with that statement.

Fortunately for me, I get the benefit of living out in the sticks where the chances of terrorism occuring are of hell freezing over and the chances of me starving are about as low too. For Canada to be hit with terrorism would be a mind boggling experience as there are more "targets" elsewhere. I just can't see us being on anyones radar. Youe right though in that a lot of Canadians are ignorant in what's going on in the rest of the world as I myself am guilty of too. I just can't help shaping this thought though, if we would have let the terrorist nations alone in the first place and stayed out of their business would there be terrorism today, it seems to me terrorism is pointed at the states because they stick their nose where apparently it isn't wanted. If there is a disaster, I am confident that I will survive on my own, but i feel for you poor city boys, that would be one hell of a rat race.

[betsy]

I checked out the Public Safety website. They've got tips for disaster preparedness...but not on the scale of a terrorist attack (unless I've missed it). Their recommended food supply is only for 3 days, for crying out loud! Red Cross or similar had recommended 2 weeks for natural disasters.

This site have not been updated by the Liberal government I guess, even after 9/11.

That's one thing the new government should aim at: provide more information and how-to for the citizens in various scenarios. The more informed and prepared we are....hopefully the less chaotic it will be.

I was searching for the survivalist site way back but couldn't find it anymore. It was a real worst case scenario of surviving (from how to extend your water supply, use up your food systematically etc..,).

I must be sounding like a chicken-little....but it was very interesting.

Just wanting to share a basic rule that I remember from it. Rule of thumb, use up the perishables in your fridge first, or the opened stuffs in your pantry that wouldn't last long. Only after you've used up these items should you start with your freezer contents (going for the ones that would not last long first). You start with your canned stuffs only when all the perishables and short shelf-life are gone.

Keep a backpack with lightweight food just in case you've got to move from your location.

Have money in small denominations ($5, $10 and $20s)

[Drea]

I checked out the Public Safety website. They've got tips for disaster preparedness...but not on the scale of a terrorist attack (unless I've missed it). Their recommended food supply is only for 3 days, for crying out loud! Red Cross or similar had recommended 2 weeks for natural disasters.

This site have not been updated by the Liberal government I guess, even after 9/11.

That's one thing the new government should aim at: provide more information and how-to for the citizens in various scenarios. The more informed and prepared we are....hopefully the less chaotic it will be.

Isn't there a private organization/business that deals with survival issues? Why should the govt have to spend money telling people to put away water? For pete's sake go to the library -- don't whine and cry that "the government didn't tell me how to survive". Sheesh.

[uOttawaMan]

Short of a nuclear war, there is no terrorist attack that would affect/cripple more than one province at a time maximum.

Well, not being totally blinded here, I'm sure some sort of biological attack involving a deadly virus could cripple our country, but whether you have food or not at that point wouldn't help you, being isolated would be the only thing..

Ontario being the most likely target of course.

[betsy]

Isn't there a private organization/business that deals with survival issues? Why should the govt have to spend money telling people to put away water? For pete's sake go to the library -- don't whine and cry that "the government didn't tell me how to survive". Sheesh.

You mean the private businesses that says you need their products to survive???

[Drea]

Don't even have to go to the library...

Survival Websites

[geoffrey]

So Drea, you want the government paying for childcare but not involved in public safety?

Oh the priorities of Canadians.

[betsy]

Don't even have to go to the library...

Survival Websites

Drea, most of those sites you've linked are selling kits or other products. Sure you could pick up a few pointers or two...but in the end, they're all trying to sell!

Survival plan in cases of disaster falls under Public Safety! A comprehensive information should be provided that changes with the kind of threats the population could be facing. An organized response to attacks, including that of the citizenry, is part of a good defense plan.

[betsy]

I'd like to see manufacturers required to put a clear best-before date on all products, after all nutritional value and ingredients are required to be listed. This is just practical information for the benefit of the consumer.

[Army Guy]

There is a nation emergancy prepardness center that does stock a few of the basics for diasters be it here or aboard, but it is geared more towards aid items IE , blankets,cots, canvass tents etc...These stocks are massive and are constantly being used IE Katrina, even the ice storm, but would not cover more than 200,000 people.

The Ice Storm proved that these stocks were insufficient and did not address our cold climate.IE no source of heat in great numbers. As for the military the ICE storm had approx 1/2 of the military mobilized and this was not really enough, the Winnipeg floods had seen some 2/3 of the military mobilized these examples were not on the scale of katrina which would overwhelm any effort our government could put forth. Something to think about when preparing your survival equipment.

Do not just concentrate on your food requirements, you'd be surprise on just how little substance your body needs to survive. The military has many excellant courses on survival, and probably the best source of info.

Some of the basics you should have are really common sense items and should be included in your survival kit you should already have in your home.

-Tent (one that will comfortable accomadate your family) of good quality..you get what you pay for

- Water proof Tarp (to cover your tent plus provide limited coverage of your camp site from the elements) As you may be living in your tent for extended periods)

- Water purifiy filtration system ( again a good one) this will allow you to filter lake or stream water without getting sick.

- Water purification tablets.

- water containers 5 gals cap

- Grill assy (this will allow you to cook or purify water on a camp fire)

- Radio with a severval sets of bats ( this may be your only source of info on your situation)

- Sleeping bags (one per member of your family)

- Blankets.

- A good amount of cord (lashing down items like tents, or hanging food above ground)

- Clothing that is waterproof, wind proof, or wicks water easily.

- A good hunting knife

- small hacket

- Axe

- Bow saw.

- Solar powered power pack.( to power any electric items you bring)

- Some form of hunting equipment, for hunting, fishing, or protection.

- medication

-First aid kit( a good one )

- survival manual ( one that explains on how to do things,IE setting up shelters, what plants are ediable, etc)

- a good size cooler, to keep all the items from your freezer.

- As for food stock up on the light wieght items, high in calories and protein IE power bars they'll last longer and are much more portable.

- Back packs one per family member.

Other things you may want is a couple of filled spare gas cans, a good veh, and if you have a boat or ATV take it with you. And cash "do not keep it all in one area", but spread out in unlikly places.

Keep all this in one area in your home easy to get to so your not scambling to find it all when the time comes..

I'd say the best advice you should take is when they say that you should evacuate an area, start packing and make your way to high ground..Something you should keep in mind if you plan on purchasing a cabin or cottage..

As for a terrorist attack such as a nuclear attack or chemical or biological attack...as much as that is unlikely, my best advise would be get out of the area as fast as possiable before the government contains the area..once the put the lid on nobody gets in or out...And you would be dependant on thier aid and things could get ugly fast...