[Tia Maria]

I notice a lot of people, like myself, have no kit and I wondered what would you do in an emergency?

Cheers

Tia

[jubjub]

Grab whatever I could get my hands on from the house and panic!

[Tia Maria]

Grab whatever I could get my hands on from the house and panic!

:laugh Lol - I thought people might not have them as they already had lots of camping stuff, or felt the area where they lived was particularly safe.

But obviously you're as prepared as me! Having said that, just got a couple of kids sleeping bags in the Kathmandu sale - $50 each - not bad. And I've bidded on a wind up torch on Trade Me.

Cheers

Tia

[jubjub]

I take comfort in the fact we are on top of a hill.... and not too close to the sea...

[Familyofmonkeys]

Having said that, just got a couple of kids sleeping bags in the Kathmandu sale - $50 each - not bad.

Thats something we still need to get......will send OH off to kathmandu again :nice1

[KerryS]

Unless you plan on having the kit with you at all times I just can't see the point. Yes, I've got an emergency food and water stash, but not much else. The chance of actually being at home when it happens are pretty slim, for me anyway, so I'm not too bothered about my lack of preparedness. Plus, I don't have any children to worry about either, which may make me slightly more lackadaisical about these things...
I could always go and loot shops if necessary. (Joke - I'd more likely be in the shoe store grabbing all the size 7s if that happened!)

All this emergency "Get Ready" stuff, reminds me of the film Threads - which some may remember seeing at school in the 80s? Scared the pants off half my class, but I just thought I'd rather be one of the dead ones in that situation. (It was about Sheffield being hit by a nuclear bomb - very bleak and had horrid typewritten subtitles with facts about nuclear holocaust.)
It's available to watch here: video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2023790698427111488

[Kea]

I sent OH to get some emergency water supplies in Countdown yesterday. He came back with one 2 L bottle of mineral water and a 1 L bottle of sparkling.

hhmm, just as well he has important skills or he'd be the first person eaten in a emergency.

JoolzR

[LesleyS]

I notice a lot of people, like myself, have no kit and I wondered what would you do in an emergency?

Cheers

Tia

I'm probably one of those people who think the unthinkable will never happen - I'd just grab the child, the dog and the OH and hide I guess....:exit

[Jo Jo]

I sent OH to get some emergency water supplies in Countdown yesterday. He came back with one 2 L bottle of mineral water and a 1 L bottle of sparkling.

hhmm, just as well he has important skills or he'd be the first person eaten in a emergency.

JoolzR

Ha ha - that reminds me of when my husband went to the shops to stock up on emergency supplies before a big storm a few months ago. He did come back with some useful things, like a little camping stove, but also loads of candles (we have millions already) nachos, and six bottles of wine!

[Tia Maria]

I can't decide what to be more worried about the emergency or all the people roaming the streets for days afterwards expecting other people to help them out.

I think mainly what I got from that programme was that they will need all limited emergency supplies - firetrucks, ambulance, support staff for those in critical condition, those at the centre or who might be in a demolished building.

What they are asking of everyone else is to look after themselves for 3/4 days so the emergency crews can tend to those who really need it. I'd feel awful walking into a communal emergency area, where others may have injuries or be sick and saying 'errr sorry could you also provide food, water and shelter for a family of five', especially if we were more than capable of looking after ourselves.

I think if nothing else - water, tent and food. It will not only make the difference to your own comfort but also to the help emergency teams can give others.

Ha Ha listen to me, I'm like someone who has just gave up smoking 48 hours ago, after 15 years, and goes round preaching to everyone else about how bad it is. :laugh

Cheers

Tia

[KerryS]

What they are asking of everyone else is to look after themselves for 3/4 days so the emergency crews can tend to those who really need it. I'd feel awful walking into a communal emergency area, where others may have injuries or be sick and saying 'errr sorry could you also provide food, water and shelter for a family of five', especially if we were more than capable of looking after ourselves.

I think if nothing else - water, tent and food. It will not only make the difference to your own comfort but also to the help emergency teams can give others.



I get this - and I'm thinking I have all that at home, albeit not in one place, but what are the chances of having this stuff to hand if and when a disaster occurs?

I currently work at the airport, on a mezzanine floor of a massive hangar, and if there were an earthquake or somesuch out here, what would I do then? I've certainly not got a tent with me here! None of the websites I've read about this make it clear how you'd get your water etc in this situation. I can't possibly lug ten litres of water, food for 3 days and a tent around with me on the off chance there could be a disaster at some point...

[Tia Maria]

I get this - and I'm thinking I have all that at home, albeit not in one place, but what are the chances of having this stuff to hand if and when a disaster occurs?

I currently work at the airport, on a mezzanine floor of a massive hangar, and if there were an earthquake or somesuch out here, what would I do then? I've certainly not got a tent with me here! None of the websites I've read about this make it clear how you'd get your water etc in this situation. I can't possibly lug ten litres of water, food for 3 days and a tent around with me on the off chance there could be a disaster at some point...

How about something in your car?

Cheers

Tia

[James 1077]

Eleanor and I were talking about this last night; we don't really have a kit but couldn't think of too many situations where it would be necessary.

We've got the usual candles and a couple of torches (including one with a flashing LED so that you can find it when it is dark). We've got the BBQ outside if the power went and we needed to cook and always have a few tins of baked beans etc in.

The only likely emergency that I think that we would need to deal with around us is a tropical cyclone knocking out the power and trees and you get fair warning of them so can fill up the bath / spare bottles with water.

I guess a volcano erupting nearby is a possibility but highly unlikely (most of them around Auckland are dormant / extinct) and, again, we should get warning of increased activity anyway.

Earthquakes are highly to have any serious effect up here.

And if Taupo blew up in another super-volcano incident then we probably wouldn't be around to worry about not having an emergency kit anyway!

[KerryS]

How about something in your car?

Cheers

Tia

My car is parked a 15 minute walk from my office. So not sure that would be much better if we were a direct target. I may start a small emergency box for the boot though.
Gah - so much to think about that I never cared about before... I may check what civil defence at the airport suggest.

[Flutterby]

I would say that we have most of the stuff needed in our camping kit, which we keep by the door (and we are in the UK) so i guess it will be similar in NZ (we intend to bring our camping gear with us) but as has already been said before Unless you are at home (or wherever you intend to keep your kit) at the time will it be any use to you? Also you would have to keep checking the food cos should it be 5 years before anything happens even longlife foods would likely be out of date by then

[Moorf]

I thought most large companies had quake boxes with water, first aid and food in them to last a few days - surely the airport has them?

There are around 49 volcanoes in the Auckland area - some dormant, some extinct, but from memory I think Auckland sits on a big lava field some 100km below it - so there's alway the chance.....

[Tia Maria]

I guess a volcano erupting nearby is a possibility but highly unlikely (most of them around Auckland are dormant / extinct) and, again, we should get warning of increased activity anyway.

Earthquakes are highly to have any serious effect up here.

And if Taupo blew up in another super-volcano incident then we probably wouldn't be around to worry about not having an emergency kit anyway!

Is that true any earthquakes/tsunamis will hit the Wellington area, not the Auckland area?

I certainly think Devonport would burn very well if there were any fires!

Cheers

Tia

[Tia Maria]

My car is parked a 15 minute walk from my office. So not sure that would be much better if we were a direct target. I may start a small emergency box for the boot though.
Gah - so much to think about that I never cared about before... I may check what civil defence at the airport suggest.

Sorry! Neither did I!

I think it would take a lot of dosh to get an 'all singing all dancing' emergency kit but I'm working on the principle that anything I do get is one more thing that I didn't have before.

We're getting a rucksack for the car - first aid, money, water and chocolate! :D I figure it would help even if we just broke down as my kids can't go 5 mins without food.

Cheers

Tia

[Tia Maria]

I would say that we have most of the stuff needed in our camping kit, which we keep by the door (and we are in the UK) so i guess it will be similar in NZ (we intend to bring our camping gear with us) but as has already been said before Unless you are at home (or wherever you intend to keep your kit) at the time will it be any use to you? Also you would have to keep checking the food cos should it be 5 years before anything happens even longlife foods would likely be out of date by then

I was planning on checking it and updating it when the clocks change as they have lots of adverts here reminding you to check your smoke alarm so hopefully that would remind me.

I guess most people are at home sleeping for at least a third of the day so unless they don't happen at night there is a 33% chance you will be at home.

Cheers

Tia

[Familyofmonkeys]

I thought most large companies had quake boxes with water, first aid and food in them to last a few days - surely the airport has them?

There are around 49 volcanoes in the Auckland area - some dormant, some extinct, but from memory I think Auckland sits on a big lava field some 100km below it - so there's alway the chance.....

The current advice is the next volcanic eruption from the Auckland field is not likely to be at the site of an existing volcano and will probably create a new volcano (like rangitoto)....and there could be very little warning too :exit


Here is a map with the areas most at risk.....
http://www.arc.govt.nz/albany/fms/main/Images/Our%20council/Civil%20defence%20emergency%20management/Hazards%20in%20Auckland/Natural%20Hazards/Auckland%20Volcanic%20Hazards.pdf

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

what would I do?

die probably. horribly.

:(

[kanatakiwi]

I was planning on checking it and updating it when the clocks change as they have lots of adverts here reminding you to check your smoke alarm so hopefully that would remind me.

I guess most people are at home sleeping for at least a third of the day so unless they don't happen at night there is a 33% chance you will be at home.

Cheers

Tia

well if you have a kit of some kind in your vehicle (should anyway for accidents etc), your workplace should have something, and you put together supplies for a home kit, you can't do much more than that!

[jubjub]

The current advice is the next volcanic eruption from the Auckland field is not likely to be at the site of an existing volcano and will probably create a new volcano (like rangitoto)....and there could be very little warning too :exit


Here is a map with the areas most at risk.....
http://www.arc.govt.nz/albany/fms/main/Images/Our%20council/Civil%20defence%20emergency%20management/Hazards%20in%20Auckland/Natural%20Hazards/Auckland%20Volcanic%20Hazards.pdf

Ah well, we are toast, so I deffo dont need a kit, it will get blown up along with us & the house... :exit

[kanatakiwi]

Ah well, we are toast, so I deffo dont need a kit, it will get blown up along with us & the house... :exit

Yah me too. Interesting about this map is that in terms of evacuation, it would be very hard to get out of Auckland if that was even an option as the volcanic cones cover all the exit routes except the western motorway area.

[M-Squared]

And I've bidded on a wind up torch on Trade Me.

Cheers

Tia

Is it "bidded" or just "bid"? Maybe "Bad" or "bodded"? :laugh No clue! Anyway, we were probably bidding against each other. The seller went from a $1 reserve to $25 "buy it now" price grrrrr. Maybe we should try to all club together and get bulk rates for the essential stuff? Wind-up radio and torches get my vote as you just know (general "you") you'll forget to check/change the batteries... :uhoh

[M-Squared]

what would I do?

die probably. horribly.

:(

I have an ancient book from the "Not The Nine O'clock News" team. There's a graphic of a very flooded London in it with the question:

What would YOU do if London flooded?

and the answer underneath:

drown

Well, it made me laugh :p :laugh

[Tia Maria]

Yah me too. Interesting about this map is that in terms of evacuation, it would be very hard to get out of Auckland if that was even an option as the volcanic cones cover all the exit routes except the western motorway area.

Its funny whenever I see a report about a flood near a river that has flooded before, or people living at the base of a volcano I always think 'my god why were they so silly as to live there in the first place? Especially as its happened before.'.

Now though I would love a house on the coast with a view of Rangitoto and if I had the money I would pay top dollar for that location!

Cheers

Tia

[Tia Maria]

Is it "bidded" or just "bid"? Maybe "Bad" or "bodded"? :laugh No clue! Anyway, we were probably bidding against each other. The seller went from a $1 reserve to $25 "buy it now" price grrrrr. Maybe we should try to all club together and get bulk rates for the essential stuff? Wind-up radio and torches get my vote as you just know (general "you") you'll forget to check/change the batteries... :uhoh

:laugh Did the spell checker highlight that for you as well?! Thinking about it bid sounds right.

Here you go, just found this:

http://reviews.ebay.com/Bid-quot-Bidded-quot-Bade-Bidden-Unraveling-Irregular-Verbs_W0QQugidZ10000000000768866

It always highlights 'afterwards' and 'programme' so I only ever half listen to it anyway.

Cheers

Tia

[James 1077]

Is that true any earthquakes/tsunamis will hit the Wellington area, not the Auckland area?

I certainly think Devonport would burn very well if there were any fires!

Cheers

Tia

The NZ earthquake zone stretches up the Southern Alps, across the straights at Nelson/Picton/Blenheim to Wellington, from Wellington it heads up to Taupo / Rotorua and then out to sea to the east of Tauranga. There is another fault line that diverges from the main one at about Greymouth, heads east and out to see around Kaikoura and then goes north-east just off the North Island's coastline.

Earthquakes will tend to happen around and between these big fault lines - so there isn't likely to be a big one in Auckland.

Tsunami-wise the main "at risk" areas would tend to be off the east coast of the North Island due to the big offshore fault line running up there. But Auckland would be more at risk here as a tsunami can be caused by an earthquake almost anywhere in the Pacific. However given Auckland is relatively sheltered by the Hauraki Gulf on its Pacific Ocean coast this, again, isn't too high a risk.

The biggest risk, as mentioned, is a big volcanic eruption. But the volcanoes in Auckland are all dormant or extinct. If something were to erupt I imagine that we would have pretty good warning of it as before a big eruption the magma makes a slow trip towards the surface - this causes minor earthquakes at various depths and, if you have monitoring equipment, you can detect these. While you may not be able to tell exactly when the eruption will occur you can say "within 5 years" to give people the chance to prepare then!

[melly]

From reading all the various threads/posts on this subject it seems to me like if you are a semi-regular camper/multi-day tramper you will have most the the items that are required for a survival kit. And in general most people keep all their camping stuff stored together in the same place. As in all my family would need to do is grab out the 4/5 boxes of camping stuff and we would have all except the food/water covered. I still don't know about the water thing as someone said, for a family of 4 that's 36L and who has space to store that much water? (I guess you're all sorted if you already have a water tank)

[George&Dave]

Im booking the next flight home!!!

[Sam B]

Well, I think the reasons we haven't got one are:
1) head in sand attitude to disaster
2) belief that Cambridge is relatively safe
3) misguided belief that watching Ray Mears obsessively qualifies me to provide for us from nature
4) living in rural area means that disaster won't feel as bad - there won't be hoardes of people wondering around looting etc.
5) Just have way too much on my plate at moment and as we are living out of suitcases and have moved 7 times in past 2 years, the last thing I need is another suitcase to lug around with us
6) Chances of being in a place where I can run and grab emergency kit are slim, and I'd be much more likely to just panic and try and get to the kids...

[shakyle2906]

My question is, and i dont want to sound 'blonde' even though i am (!!) - in the programme last week it showed the family out in their back garden - would you do so ? I know you would make youre own way home to get your supplies etc, but our garden is hardly huge enough for a tent ?
Hope i dont sound too thick..............its been a long day!!

Sharon
x

[Tia Maria]

3) misguided belief that watching Ray Mears obsessively qualifies me to provide for us from nature
...

:laugh It sure does - did you know one Sago tree can feed a family for up to 2 years ...... now if only i knew what a Sago tree was!

Cheers

Tia

[irishliz]

I must say that programme has really given me the heeby geebies (sp?). We have enough water, bags, candles, radio etc but the food goes up and down depending on OH's Pak & Save habits. So tonight we are stocking again and setting up water proof storage outside the house so we can have access quickly if necessary. During the day both OH's work and mine have supplies and the children's school and nursery. OH recently helped nursery with their stock check and he was freaked out by the body bags for children!

We are in Wellington so freaked out even more. OH and I work right in the centre but we understand so long as you are not seriously injured you should try to make it back to home - not least as a meeting place and we would also need to get the children.

We still won't have all the suggested items but will try to build it up over time. And the other thing we did was let our families in the UK and Ireland have all the details of where we all are during the day so that if the worst happened somebody would be able to track where the children are.

Just hope it doesn't happen.

[Bobbysox]

Well if we have an earthquake on our local fault line, which then causes a tsunami in the Hauraki Gulf...... we are pretty well bu*****d as our house is about 400 metres from the stopbank at the end of the Firth of Thames and according to Google Earth are at an altitude of 0 meters, yes thats sea level, we work in Ngatea 12kms away and the altitude there is 1 metre higher, so I guess sitting on our rear lawn in a boat with our heads between our knees is about all we can do to be safe, the nearest hill is quite some distance away, lets hope thats where the current takes us.... wonder if our beer fridge floats? If it does we can go without the boat.

[PeteS]

what would I do?

die probably. horribly.

:(

I think the chances of dieing immediately are not that high. It's the few days and possibly week or so after that concern me. We could all be out of contact with fire, ambulance, police, and people around you will do whatever they need to to survive. Even if it's not in your best interests.:eek:

We have food, a tank (On the ground, not on legs) with 32000 litres of water in it, and a generator. And a rifle, just for hunting you understand..... :rolleyes:

[Moorf]

Hmmm OH said our big investment should be a gun....

[Familyofmonkeys]

However given Auckland is relatively sheltered by the Hauraki Gulf on its Pacific Ocean coast this, again, isn't too high a risk.



But the kerepehi fault is only about 40km from Auckland and could potentially cause a locally generated tsunami with very little warning time.



Analysis of the fault geometry, combined with paleoseismic data for three further terrestrial segments of the Fault, suggest Most Credible Earthquake (MCE) moment magnitudes of 6.5–7.1. Due to the presence of thick deposits of soft sediment, and thesemi-confined nature of the Firth, the MCE events are considered capable of generating tsunami or tsunami-like waves.

[NikT]

Tsunami guages:

http://www.geonet.org.nz/tsunami/gauges/index.html

Gives you an idea of areas they think are most at risk.

Napier one of em.:wah

Nick.:cheers

[Moorf]

Ohhh I may get a sea-view yet! :D

[wilson182]

On a less scary and serious note - did any Cantabrians see in the press last week about the Tsunami scare at Waikuku. Aparently a chap was down there whitebaiting and a combination of sea fog and refraction made him think a tsunami was coming!!!

He proceded to run up and down the beach - telling everyone to clear out. We had about 20 phone calls to the council wanting to know if there was a civil emergancy - and I had a wonderful chat with an English lady who wanted to know how she would know if there was ever a real one.

:nice1

[Moorf]

:yes There was a big bit in the paper about it...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4715577a11.html

Shame it didn't hit, it could have taken away Pegasus... :D

[M-Squared]

:laugh Did the spell checker highlight that for you as well?! Thinking about it bid sounds right.

Here you go, just found this:

http://reviews.ebay.com/Bid-quot-Bidded-quot-Bade-Bidden-Unraveling-Irregular-Verbs_W0QQugidZ10000000000768866

It always highlights 'afterwards' and 'programme' so I only ever half listen to it anyway.

Cheers

Tia

So it's "bid", "bid" and "bid" then. :laugh Alrighty easy enough, thanks Tia! :nice1