Making a List of Potential Disasters

[8greenbeans]

So an old thread that was revived recently, got me thinking. We have several new folks on board - some have been prepping for years, some are newer. My thoughts are basically a two-parter.

The first part is this thread. I'd like to compile a list of all possible scenarios that could hit the southeast. That's it for this thread - a list.

The second part would be individual threads for each potential threat that gets listed here. In those threads, each person could talk about their potential plan - bug-in, bug-out, what to take, if to go, where to go (in a general sense), how, for whom are you responsible, do they have special needs to think about, etc, etc, etc.

What I've gleaned from these types of threads have helped me in the past to make better plans. Helped me to think about things I didn't think of before. Lots of new folks aren't even sure of the types of things to think about when preparing for even small "disasters" ... they think they have it covered, only to find out, if they are lucky, beforehand from an "old-timer" that their plan could harm them (i.e., kerosene heater indoors if they lose electricity) or sadly, find out too late. Nevermind trying to prepare for something on a much larger scale.

After the generalized threats are covered, I'd like to throw in scenarios that put you in a very inconvenient spot. How does one cope and put your plan into action? Does the rest of the family or friend group know what to do?

I'll make a master list here as everyone throws ideas down the hatch.

*tornado
*severe thunderstorms with flooding & with power outages
*hurricanes
*winter storms with power outages and or loss of ability to drive (i.e., Atlanta 5 years ago)
*severe drought
*fires (wild fires that spread not individual house fires)
*earthquakes
*chemical spill with mandatory evacuation
*pandemic (from localized to worldwide)
*civil invasion by our neighbors
*enemy invasion on domestic soil
*civil unrest (localized i.e., Ferguson; multiple sites i.e., Rodney King verdict; nation-wide i.e., interrupted food supply)
*local nuclear power plant incident
*EMP
*collapse of the dollar
*run away inflation
*Cyber attacks on power grid

[tlwagg]

I don't know if you want to add hurricanes to your list because they seldom hit this area as a class 1 or above but it can happen. There is just plan old high wind that have caused trees to fall and cause power outages. There is also the chance of fire spreading, it happened a few years ago near Cumming. A truckers strike could limit the amount of food being transported causing shortages (this one isn't very likely). An earthquake along the New Mardrid fault could destroy the bridges across the Mississippi and disrupt the food shipments. Remember most of the countries food is grown out west. I'll keep thinking about it.

[HogJowlHomestead]

Collapse of the dollar and runaway inflation.

I think the premises of individual threads on disasters and challenges is a great idea, might help get some wheels turning. I always learn something new here.

The when to bug out thread got me thinking and i finally restocked my bags and put them back in the vehicles. Was pretty complacent lately not gonna sugar coat it. Did some shooting this weekend too, realized my chest rig is less then optimal for my side arm draw... back to the drawing board.

[RWS]

You might want to change or add "Civil invasion by our neighbors"  There are thousands coming across the border each month.  The effects are enormous from bring disease to violence and the welfare cost is staggering. 

[8greenbeans]

Keep the thoughts coming tlwagg! I'm going to use some of those as scenarios! A couple fit under civil unrest from nation-wide food supply interruption/shortage.

Thanks HogJ! I always learn more doing this sort of thing. And I'm the same way - been complacent. Mine was due to cumbersome health issues - which in reality should have made me more focused.

RWS, very good point. I added it. I think they are two distinct situations. One is a direct attempt to overthrow while the other is a slow take over.

[Amish]

Cyber attacks on Power grid.

[John Galt 1]

I don't know if you want to add hurricanes to your list because they seldom hit this area as a class 1 or above but it can happen.

The hurricane that came through about 18 months ago knocked the power out here for 6 days.      Lost power for 5 days 3 years ago from an ice storm.
Some people quickly discovered why test running a generator a few times a year is so important.

[John Galt 1]

If a person preps for an EMP and a pandemic then they are probably prepared for almost anything.     After that it's really a matter of how long you are prepared for with the stores closed, no easy food, and no easy fuel.

If things stayed bad for years we probably wouldn't survive even if we had plenty of food and fuel so we try to be realistic in what we store.      But by learning old skills, practicing what out great grandparents did, and teaching our children to innovate; we will have a much better chance of survival.

[jimLE]

Tsunami's seeing how they can destroy a coast line.

[RWS]

Tsunami's seeing how they can destroy a coast line.

Yes Jim, part of California could just up and fall into the Pacific ocean.

https://www.dcclothesline.com/2019/02/06/10-significant-earthquakes-rock-the-california-coastline-as-mount-st-helens-rumbles-back-to-life/

[8greenbeans]

Tsunami's seeing how they can destroy a coast line.

Yes, the west coast definitely has tsunamis to worry about - is this something to worry about on the east coast? Could there be something to cause one on this side? Honestly I hadn't given it much thought at all until you mentioned it.

[RWS]

Pandemic :  The pandemic has already started in the US.  This is in Maxine Waters district of course.  Southern California is becoming like a third world territory.  Could this spread East??

https://dcdirtylaundry.com/typhus-outbreak-los-angeles-descends-into-third-world-hellscape/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/02/update-typhus-outbreak-in-los-angeles-due-to-heaps-of-rat-infested-trash-spreads-to-city-hall-may-force-the-removal-of-carpets/

[jimLE]

I've known that the gulf coast can be hit by a tsunami. But never knew the possibility of one.

Is a tsunami possible in the Gulf? Yes, but a 'fairly distant' threat compared to hurricanes
https://www.google.com/search?num=20&ei=XWZcXObnHZK0sQW8wJ3AAw&q=is+the+gulf+coast+able+to+be+hit+with+tsunami&oq=is+the+gulf+coast+able+to+be+hit+with+tusiamie&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-serp.1.0.33i160.3379.53877..59112...4.0..4.1565.13338.1j47j5-1j8-4......0....1.......5..0i71j35i39j0i131j0j0i67j46i131j46j0i70i251j46i275j0i22i30j33i299j33i22i29i30.fx1QgBOS7bQ

[tlwagg]

I'll add to that and give you a mega-tsunami on the east coast that will have wave height of 650 and 900 meters. The island of La Palma has a volcano called Cumbre Vieja where a rift has opened which could send a big chunk of the volcano into the Atlantic causing the mega-tsunami. When it breaks and falls it will effect not only the east coast of North America all of the Atlantic Basin. Since the wave will have to travel about 5 hours to reach the US it should only be about 80 feet tall by the time it gets here. The thing is that no one knows when it will happen. This has happened before in Hawaiian Islands and it is happening again. So far the rift on Hawaii is only about 20 feet wide but its growing. At least we don't have to worry about that one.

If you want some more good disaster scenarios check out https://armageddononline.org/.

[Starlady]

I've recently read quite a few articles about Cumbre Vieja where volcanologists are now saying it's not going to be nearly as bad as they'd thought 10-15 years ago.  IIRC, there is evidence for the west flank collapsing before and no historical evidence of a tsunami.....or something like that.  It's a rocky jumble, not a solid chunk, which they say would be the original story.