Lt. Tom Mattioli, Emergency Management Coordinator for the Michigan State Police, is quoted today in WorldNetDaily as saying "the 3-5 day period for preparation (recommended by FEMA) is not the expected down time for essential services, rather it is the expected response time for emergency response personnel to arrive and evacuate people to shelters." When contacted by phone, he acknowledged saying this, but noted that this is simply standard FEMA recommendation. I hadn't heard that particular twist on the "3-5 days" theme before. Which makes me wonder what Moynihan knew that caused him to worry about "damaging the democratic process" vis. secrecy surrounding Y2K prep. What did he catch wind of?

-- Spidey (in@jam.com), March 04, 1999

Answers

There is no such thing as a three day failure. You will either have small disruptions in the supply chain (no fresh fruit, shortages of chinese made goods, etc...) or you will have a crash (stores empty, gas stations closed, etc...) This 3 day snow storm crap drives me nuts! The three day plan will not even give the government enough time to round up the herd. Three days = do nothing, so that is the governments advice "do nothing".

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), March 04, 1999.

Spidey, the three-day expected response time (and reasons therefor) has been discussed (search on 72-hour. . . or three-day. . .). But it's a very good idea to emphasize strongly the distinction between preparing for three days until emergency services kick in and the idea that problems aren't expected to last more than three days or so. I've long known that I don't want to be standing in a soup line, especially not in the first few days, thanks to various hurricane experiences. If you have a look at the thread about Fran (posted middle of the night EST last night), you'll see it took three days to a week for a full complement of FEMA and National Guard folks to come into central NC. And if you look at the thread about Looting, posted about the same time, it becomes even more clear that self-support is the ONLY way to go if you can manage it.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 04, 1999.

Old Git...You're welcome to come down to Greenville sc 27acres on the river---bring your tent. Got good water, pretty good on food, got horses, dogs and good folks.

(Bring your 'personal protection)

-- Lobo (Hiding@woods.com), March 04, 1999.

Seems to me that a serious breakdown, if sustained for several days, would be easier to endure at home than in a mass shelter. At home -- if you've been prudent -- there will be something to eat, something to cook it with, something to drink, and a place to sleep.

How many days of food, water and fuel are stockpiled in the public shelters?

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), March 04, 1999.

Sorry Tom, we can't watch and control you properly in your own home. Besides, your self-reliance sets a bad example. Others might come to question whether they need us. So, pack your things, and we'll see you in the place where there is no darkness.

Your Pal, Big Brother

-- Blue Himalayan (bh@k2.y), March 04, 1999.

Last Fall '98, my husband and I took a FEMA sponsored Emergency Search and Rescue Class, with local FEMA folk, the local Police, etc. They were nice people, and we learned a whole lot. Not enough to feel competent, but more than we knew. There were two principles or RULES stressed throughout the 20 hours of training: One: The greatest good for the greatest number of people (Eg: don't stop at the first victim and start CPR. Get the walking wounded out and save as many as you can.) Two: Communities, individuals, etc., should be prepared for five days to cope on their own, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO MOUNT RESCUE SERVICES. Incidentally, they never, ever, mentioned y2k.

Mary P.

-- Mary P. (CAgdma@home.com), March 04, 1999.