I wonder if it might be possible to explore the mirror image of your question.

Let us suppose we have two people in one of those houses you mention. They are well prepared and comfortable. And then comes a plaintive knocking on the door.

If they invite them in, the load on existing supplies increases. That probably won't be an issue in the short term - but longer term situations occur. Given the amount of supplies most people keep on hand, one might need to tap the long-term survival supplies earlier rather than later. And, too, the number needing help is indeterminate. It might be one or two...it might be a family with 4 hungry teenagers...it could be a bus with the local university's football team. Will the existing supplies suffice? Is one prepared to allocate based on need - or eloquence of whine?

I suppose we have all read horrific accounts of what happened to people who opened the door to strangers. While a Quiet Professional could surely deal with the matter, not everyone has the skills and abilities of a QP. So - is one inviting a pack of wolves into the house?

Of course, the other side of the coin is that one might meet some splendid people, and spend a day enjoying good conversation and fun - in essence, a party where new friends were made.

I am not advocating any course of action. But I suspect the issue of what one does when the knock on the door comes is worthy of consideration.

Not true
 

A snow storm is a short term event - mostly. A few days and then things start picking back up.

I'm trying to remember the storm but it was about two years ago and a section of highway was blocked, I want to say somewhere in the S/W. People made their way from their cars to the nearest homes. A place was found for all.

By the time the storm was over IIRC one home had over 20 people in it. From the stories I recall, some of the homes got real low on food and they became very creative with menues.

Again - this is "Be Prepared". If you live near a section of highway that gets snowed over a couple of times a year would you have just a bit more emergency food and supplies on hand? Would you look out during a clear spell and see a car or two and go check them? Who would you find? A pregnant mother with two little kids travelling to see the grand parents for the holidays? Granted you could find the other extreme but "Be Prepared."

Guys, got my dates a little mixed up. The temperature during the winters of 76 & 77 were the coldest on record for Ohio, not really a blizzard in any stretch of the imagination. My apologies!

Here is the real deal that I am talked about in my past thread. It happened in January of 1978:

http://www.ohiohistory.org/etcetera/...bumPage01.html

http://www.bceo.org/78blizzardrev.html

Blizzards
 

I was living in Dayton at the time. Drove from Middletown to Dayton that night up I-75 by staying in the tracks of the few semi's crazy enough to still be on the road. Once home, the only thing that saved me was a 7-11 on the corner. They got snowed in too. "Oh, thank heaven for 7-11". I had just left the OHNG,Trp D, 1-238th Cav. My buddies out of Columbus did a lot of great flying to save people and livestock.

Obviously I'm not recommending anyone depend on a 7-11 for survival, but you sometimes get what you need in the strangest places.

OK, I'll try to stop posting for a while. Being retired is a bitch!

Yep, she was a bad one. I remember the 107th ONG out Stow Ohio coming through on M-113's and large trucks on the third day. Then the air element of the 107th out of Akron Canton Airport provided air rescue. The same 10th ONG was the one at Kent State back in 1970.

Hurricane Carla in 1961. My Dad was the Marshal of our town and when Marshal Law was declared, he had our next door neighbor, who was a locksmith, open the 7-11 at the entrance to our subdivision. We recorded who took what and after it returned to normal, about 60-90 days, everyone settled up with the owner.

I got ALL of the .22 ammo, Rats and Snakes were everywhere!!!:D

Later
Martin

Unfortunatly, that probably would never happen again in this day and age with the probable exception of within a small rural town.

A while ago, I figured I should make a list of the equipment and supplies I had on-hand that would be useful in a survival/disaster situation so I could more accurately assess what I still needed to get. Later, this morphed into a generic tool to get people started on thinking about their preparedness in relation to equipment. This list is by no means the final, comprehensive solution for everyone in every location, but it can be a start down the path of analyzing what you may need should a disaster strike your location. In fact, its not even the best tool for my own needs, but it does help me continually refine my disaster preparation.

Great list, hermano.

Thanks for sharing.

TR

Thanks for sharing your list, Razor.

Thank you, Sir. I can see I've got some glaring omissions in my own preparedness efforts.

Went to the Collector's West Show this past weekend (another member of the board got a last minute table) and after much perusing and thought picked up a decent medical kit (finally) for a reasonable price (around $200, after my tailoring of included items - no pharmaceuticals of the prescription variety were available) I will pm anybody the vendor's name - he is essentially off grid and only deals in cash and Postal money orders...

The kit is essentially an M-17 fold out: basic items for vitals, basic trauma supplies, surgical kit, cleaning items, splinting items, basic first aid supplies - The kit comes in an ok bag - and it is self packable if needed, plenty of room. I saved over $150 by getting this one versus buuilding from scratch.

Oh, I also picked up some South African .308 / 7.62x51 for $65/140rds, in the sleeve. MRE's for the toy.

Thanks, Razor.

Good info. I have an old Range Bag packed full of Med Supplies. But it's mostly items for Trauma or minor cuts and Burns. The only Meds I have are over the counter. Your Med list is the first I seen with a simple explanation for what the Drugs are best used for. Are prescriptions required for all Antibiotics? Do you have a recommendation for an Antibiotic for infections, prescription or non? Infections from cuts, burns...etc.

Whoa, easy Brother...those are questions better answered your pointy-stick-wielding range partner. Rumor has it he knows things. :)