Alfresco

I have compiled a list of essentials that I should have bought/done before the QLD flood, but it could apply to any impending disaster.

I've made a spreadsheet which I can print out next time things get scary.

What's yours and any other suggestions?

• Draw cash
• Disposable eatware
• Candles
• Torches
• Batteries
• Fill up with petrol/diesel
• Have enough gas for BBQ to cook & boil water etc...
• Long life groceries - milk/tins/veg etc...
• Drinkable water - containers/bottles
• Charge all needed gadgets (phones/cameras)
• Loo paper
• Hardy snacks
• Important docs/papers (passports etc..)
• Pet food
• First Aid kit
• Prescription Medication
• Bored (board) games
• Battery operated radio
• Polly's Number

moneypenny20

That's cool. I don't have a list but I do now Got all those except the tins of stuff we don't normally eat and long life milk ditto but needs must.

lesleys

Scan all your important docs - passports, driver's licences, INSURANCE policies and put them on a DVD you keep elsewhere (car, office, friends) or lodge them in cyberspace. You can also take photos of your house and possessions and keep them in the same place.

Make sure you have the right insurance.

Make sure all phones have lots of useful numbers stored (as well as Polly's) - local police station, insurance companies, children's schools etc.

Add to the list

A generator
Matches (you already have the candles)
Spare glasses or contacts
Spare underwear
Water sterilisation tablets
Insect repellant
Sunscreen
Camera and batteries

Also very useful
Thermos flask
Tarp
Blanket or thermal wrap
Gum boots
Spade


This is my personal list generated after 5 days of being snowed in in 1981, about 12 days without electricity or phone after the 87 hurricane and getting a tree through the roof in Jan 2000 (living under tarps for 3 months waiting for insurance and builders).

micmay3_in_oz

OH bought a Dynamo wind-up radio for boating. It has AM/FM radio, torch, reading light and siren - I believe it also capable of charging a mobile phone but have never tried out that bit. It's not too big so wouldn't take up much space in any emergency kit - also runs on batteries. I now you can get solar powered ones too but not too sure on the price of them. One of the best things he's ever bought from BCF and very reasonably priced too. A nifty little thing that covers several purposes.

MX

fish.01

At the risk of sounding like a smart ass always check the bcc flood maps before buying or renting.

You will find houses in Brisbane that are $100,000 cheaper than a similar one in the next street and are not selling. Your bargain spidey sense tingles until it dawns on you to check the flood maps and you find the house was 7 foot under during the 74 floods. Always check.

Of course this does not mean all the people who got flooded were idiots. The housing stock already exists in the low lying flood prone streets and someone is always going to live in them due to financial issues, unaware of the seriousness of floods, taking a short term risk, grew up there or whatever...just want to emphasise to people new to Brisbane that they should check - almost every Brisbanite checks the 1974 flood data and so should you.

My wife and I risked a short term rental in an inner city flood street while we looked for a new house to buy - as that is all we could get in a hot market at short notice. We just had to last 6 months but then that stretched to 12 months and I started getting nervous and escalated the house hunting due to the incredibly wet year we were having. I did not want to risk this summer there.

We moved out of that house 2 or 3 months ago...I think it flooded half way up the second story into the house proper (first story just stumps, garage and storage).

Pollyana

Have a look at the emergency and evacuation kits on here....

http://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/getready/plan.asp

Pollyana

Please please, almost anywhere in Australia your property could be impacted by a bushfire, or you could be caught by one while travelling, so have a plan ready.
Vitally important if you are in a bushfire-risk area. This is looking like being a bad season so make your plan, make sure the whole family knows what it is, and stick to it. When fire is approaching its too late to think logically, you need to stick to with the plan you thought out before, either defend your property or leave before its too late. Having a plan could save your life.

if you don't know how to prepare your property, or how to plan for disaster, talk to your local Rural Firies, they will be only too glad to help, and look up the web- page for your State Fire Service, keep abreast of developing situations.

old.sparkles

Very good advice Polly. Our plan was to leave and we did - only issue we had was catching the cat. Have since bought some calming treats for her as she was very stressed on Wednesday so for those with pets, you also need to think about them.

The young spark does not drive but he had two offers to help him leave if needed but we may need to improve our plans to account for either of us not being at home.

Pollyana

Good plan. Also make sure that if you do leave home separately you have plans in place of where to meet up, or how to contact each other if that place is unavailable.