UKNZAUS

It's the tsunami that frightens me too! I live right on the coast... I'm quite high up though so at least the water will lower around me I'm getting on with my kit today, got a lot of it but last nights 'Would You Survive' made me think of other things I wouldn't have thought to put in.

I always carry a first aid kit in the car anyway but wouldn't have thought of extra clothes and stuff!

jueinnz

I have just been down and cheacked the map they sent out to be sure we are out of the 10metre above sea level danger zone, and its not toally clear!!! We are on the edge! We are a lot higher up that our neighbours, so I am hoping that they have over estimated the danger levels not underestimated them!!!

pixi-dust

We dont have anything specific as such! But over this winter we had days and days of broken power ( on for a few hours off for a few) we were also flooded in for a day.
We're really lucky though, our woodstove heats the water and the house and we can cook on it.
Bung a pan outside and it was filled with water in about 5 minutes! We do actually have one huge bottle of emergency water.
And our larder is full of stuff. I reckon we'd be ok for weeks. Having a shower would be tricky but at least we'd both smell.

P2L

Last night's programme made me very aware of the fact that our kids probably aren't that well prepared for something like that from a practical point of view. Our eldest is 14 so there is always that possibilty that she and her friends could have to look after themselves in such an event, which would be quite 'interesting'. ( They are all the same, got lots of brains but no common sense!! )

They will be having a crash course in how to put up the tent and we are gonna have to assemble our stuff in one place too ( scattered in all four corners of the garage at the mo!)

Also, the points about making sure that everyone has an individual grab bag with a torch and a bit of food in it was something we hadn't done and definitely how unprepared we are in the car too, although we do have a first aid kit in there.

UKNZAUS

We bought sleeping bags for the kids from Argos that come in their own rucksack and on the side has a torch and a drinks bottle! Think we only paid something like 10 quid for them... can squeeze some food cans in with the sleeping bag

Just some food for thought for those looking at coming over

UKNZAUS

Pink Sleeping Bag

Blue Sleeping Bag

BEVS

We didn't see the first programme but did watch the one last night. I actually think the family got off lightly & that it would be harder than that.
I also feel it would be mostly every man for themselves & that just 3 days of survival kit is optimistic. I remember the news report of families being without services for 5 days.

There will be those that would wish to help others but also those that would just take.

My husband made a good point . There was a scene where an injured person came to them. How would it have been if that injured person had a family and needed help . They had either no survival kit, shelter, food , water , or they did have one but could not access it because it was too dangerous to do so. One of their family members was diabetic also but the insulin was buried in their house. What would both families have done ?

When we first arrived the EQ/IQ advert was on several times a night. You couldn't miss the fact that a kit was a good idea. Also the councils were selling starter survial kits at the time. So,we took it on board & have made kits. One for the house , the garage , the car and husbands van. Nothing fancy & some of it is just our camping gear spread around.

Something we thought was a good idea was clockwork torches.

UKNZAUS

We have wind-up torches! Knowing our luck, we would have pinched the batteries for 'something else' when we really needed them

Pollyana

Even if you have a very basic emergency kit that consists largely of torches, batteries and bottled water, its a good idea to have something, and to keep it somewhere you can get it easily if you have to evacuate, and up high so its away from floods.
Things that you don't think about - pens and paper, spare keys, coins for phone calls.
Have a basic plan too - one of the things we suggest to people over here is that the family should decide on a central contact point in case something happens and the family are not together. Ideally you pick friends/family in another town, and you all agree that you will make contact with them if you are separated. They can then link you all back together - especially handy with familes where the kids are older and out on their own a lot.

Another good site is this one, don't think its been mentioned yet. We've used some of their ideas in our Queensland family emergency plans.
Remember if something serious does happen, then the emergency services will be swamped, so the more self-sufficient you are the better.

P2L

One question last night bought up for me, is do the schools all have a mandatory duty of care for their pupils, regardless of age, in a civil defence emergency

Anyone know or is it something that is very much done on an individual basis??

UKNZAUS

Yes! I've just done an assignment on policies and procedures for emergency planning and ALL teachers are fully responsible and have a duty to stay with the children in their care until every child has been collected.

Means I will not be able to get to my kids until every child I'm looking after is collected too! But then that also means I know my kids are being looked after by their teacher too!

UKNZAUS

Oh hang on - when I enrolled my son into College, they asked where we lived and asked my permission and to sign a form to say I would allow my son to walk home (we're only 5-10 minutes away) by himself.

owen

It did make me think about what I would do in that situation. Cos I'm a walk from walk I thought I would go to work and help out, then I remembered all the glass in the hospital (esp the big glass atrium!) and thought I would wait outside till they built the tent hospital on the domain!!

stasia

don't forget to get a radio so you can find out whats going on and info about civil defense areas etc we just bought a dynamo one from trade me bet they're making a fortune after the programme!!

P2L

You can order a wind-up one with your Flybuys for 405 points too ( Not bad either, Sony!)