Well, I was blanching ears of corn for freezing, minding my own business, but my father's estate business caught up with me, and I'm flying out to LA soon. This is stuff that I'm better off doing myself than farming out to the legal eagles. If it weren't important, I wouldn't be going: LA is really one of the last places (besides Israel) that I'd want to be right now.

Now that you know that I'm not going just to party (although I do plan to eat as much fresh shrimp as I can), I welcome any additional ideas for emergency supplies and/or things to keep in mind about EQ's. I've re-read the Red Cross Earthquake fact sheet.

In my fanny pack: slim water bottle with built-in filter, reflective raincoat, first aid kit (bandaids, asprin, Cortizone, wipes, flat roll of duct tape, tube sunblock, rubber gloves), LED flashlight, trail bars, map of area. On my feet (or close by) hiking boots.

In the rental car trunk: bottled water, crackers, tuna, lightweight fleece sleeping bag, heavy gardening gloves.

I don't know what to do about self-defense -- rely on my wits? I'm also wondering about the validity of carrying a small "wonder bar" or leaving one in the truck during the day and by my bed at night. A "wonder bar" is a sort of mini crow bar, good for prying open doors or windows.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

Answers

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-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

sturdy leather belt. handy for holding up yer leggings plus you can use it for other stuff, including a weapon. BUT, you should realize that you need to practice with it to use it to advantage, always remembering that you don't want the perp to be able to take it away from you.

Mace.

Don't wear anything around your neck that can choke you, orbe used to choke you. Also, consider whether you want to lose it in a robbery. small chains will most likely break so it is the loss that is to be considered there.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

Boom Boom (Maggie) was in the Northridge earthquake and would have some valuable suggestions, I know. I'll drop her an e-mail.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

I think I'd buy several of those almost weightless "space blankets" from the camping dept. at Wal- or K-Mart. No bigger than a pack of cards in the package. Only a couple dollars apiece; those nights can be cold! Good for shock too.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

Thanks, OG.

Barefoot, you're right about training. I typically practice a lot of prevention: drive with doors locked, avoid certain areas, limit my time outside the neighborhood at night, etc. A small mace canister might be a good idea. I know the Wal-Marts here seem to have stopped selling them, but they might be available out there. I was thinking self-defence more in terms of having to hoof it to the airport to get out in the case of an EQ in my area. Otherwise, I think I can limit my exposure to potentially dangerous situations -- I'll be dealing with public offices during daylight hours.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

Meemur, if you know any cops, ask them about police-strength pepper spray ("Capstun"). They know sales people who have the keychain types. The pepper spray typically sold OTC is only half police strength. You might also try pawn shops and gun dealers for the police-strength stuff.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

I'll look into that, OG, for both here and there. I'm not going to try to take any on the plane, but you've both given me some ideas to pursue.

When I travel long distances, I try to look like poor-but-honest midwestern mom on a holiday (laptop gets buried in a Mickey Mouse tote bag). Security folks and other travelers generally don't give me a second glance.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

I hope to hear from Maggie before long. I'll check back as time permits. I will be traveling with a laptop (have to be able to edit and print legal documents), but I don't know what the situation will be with internet connections or whether there really are a lot of cafes with inet connections or public libraries with lighted parking lots and late hours.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

Well, it's a holiday weekend--maybe Boom Boom is checking out Etna or something :)

Net connections--don't forget shopping malls!

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

PS -- OG, one of the local astrologers roughed out a transit chart for me. She told me yesterday that I was, "... entering a creative period but one of relative quiet with little travel and few surprises."

Yeah, right. I think all those planets that I have in Aquarius have other ideas.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

We posted at the same time, OG. I'll look into the shopping mall idea. That's not true around here, but I'm sure technology is somewhat more advanced out there.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

So sorry for not getting here sooner! Meemur, libraries (forgive spelling) in Cally have computers for the public to use. Yes on the wonder bar, change for phone booth, butterfly bandaides, tweezers, extra pair of glasses, pen and paper, small phone book of people out of state, shoes kept next to bed at night, shrill alarm (small, a little bigger then a tampon) you just have to push down the top of it and it is very loud. Important to have is a small portable radio that can run on batteries, plus back up batteries. If you will be staying at a house, locate gas shut off and put wrench with tape on it, in case you need to turn off gas in case of gas leak.

I hope this helps. By any chance are you going to be near Northridge and North of the Valley?

Maggie

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

Thanks, Maggie! I've added the extra glasses. I'll be mainly around downtown LA and Inglewood. I shouldn't need to go to Northridge.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

Meemur, here is a EQ update map for the area you are in (just for you to keep track of what is going on): LINK You might want to check on it because there have been small EQs. Just click on the dot and more info will come up...a closer look of the EQ area and then a list under the map. Keep safe and let us know when you will be out of Cally.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

Just tried link and it's not working right, try this:

http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Maps/118-34.html

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

Thanks again, Maggie. I'll check in periodically as time permits.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

Just wanted to say, the safest place in my house was the hallway... (away from the hot water tank), there's alot of structural support there and no windows. Just throwing it out as a tid bit of info.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

I'll be in a hotel, Maggie, but I'll be more dilligent about checking for exits. If you missed my whine, the short version is that I'm going out to settle a few matters related to my father's estate. I will work as quickly as the clerks and lawyers will allow me so that I can return to OH ASAP. My attorney and I have both tried to accomplish stuff via fax and phone, but you've probably had some experience with the slowness and mistake-prone ways of the city workers. As I found when trying to do stuff around Detroit, MI, sometimes the best way to do anything is to be there, in their face, polite, but insistant that this is a serious project and Needs Attention Now. Add a smile, a please, and a thank you, and magic happens occasionally.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

After hearing about your Florida trip, I know I'm not the only one who thinks you'll handle the whole thing beautifully. And there won't be any earthquake--if you'd wanted one, you would have planned one, lol!

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

Sounds like you have everything under control. I'm sorry to hear your father passed on. It has been several years since my father-in-law passed on, I find myself once again checking out something that had botherd me and needs to be checked out by a pro.

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2001

If you see any SUV limos, those are just famous people trying to not be noticed.

Of course an eight door Hum-vee tends to stand out, at least for me.

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2001