More governments around the world are advising their citizen to leave Tokyo: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110316/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_earthquake_foreigners_leaving
What would you bring with you if you had to leave your home and possibly the country where you live on a moments notice?
Flash drives, ID, cat.
Depends on how I am leaving. I on foot I would nab my backpacking gear and put my cats on a leash and head out.
If by car, I could almost fit everything I own, minus furniture into my car.
If I was running for my life, nothing, but I hope I had shoes on or could grab a pair. Hopefully I could grab my phone, too.
A few minutes - cell phone, shoes, purse, the dogs, important documents, photos
I mentally went through this exercise a couple of weeks ago, pretending I had 15 minutes to gather things. If we could never go back, or it would all be destroyed, and assuming we could take both cars:
My dogs
Computers
Cellphones and chargers
Photos
Some clothes, a pair of boots and shoes
Pillow, sheet & blankets, towels
Personal grooming supplies
Toilet paper
Matches
Water
Food
Can Opener, metal spoons, a few forks and sharp knives, a pan or two for cooking
Dish soap
Money
Medications, vitamins, pain reliever
Flashlights, and all batteries in the house
Important documents
Shovel
The stuff I've saved from my son's years in grade school.
A few pieces of treasured jewelry
A few books I wouldn't want to part with
If there was still room in the cars:
The small radio/CD player
Cd's and music DVD's
BluRay player
Hair dryer (see above...lol)
100 foot extension cord
Photo scrapbooks
Computer
Cell Phone
Expensive jewelry
Wallet
If I had time and a car, everything I could fit into it.
My cats... All 8 of 'em. :-D
After that, in order of descending (and increasingly fuzzy) priority:
- Flash drive with all my novels, essays and artwork on it;
- My hardcover copy of The Soulforge, which always comes with me when I move house;
- My guardian dragon Glori, or at least the wooden statue of him which sits on top of my microwave. Glori says he'll make his own travel arrangements ;-)
- My clarinet, violin and electric guitar.
I wrote a post about that topic a while ago:
http://happyasclams.com/2011/02/21/evacuation/
In this particular case, I think water and food can be crucial unless you are lucky to get out on a plane.
It's a terrible situation :(.
If I had 5 minutes to evacuate:
Herbie (the love kitty).
The car-shaped chalkboard that hung in my grandmother's kitchen.
A pillow cover from Guatemala.
A shell lamp I bought in an amazing store in NY that makes me happy every time I see it.
My box of special letters.
A print of Matryoshka dolls from Russia.
Japanese jewelry box (Dad brought back from his Army days)
My Mac.
The safe, w/my passport, house & car deed.
Wallet, cell phone, and eyeglasses. Everything else is replaceable (as long as I have my wallet.)
I can't even think about what I would bring. This feels like the end of the world to me! We are so powerless!
Why? Why do we have to have nuclear power? It's so dangerous! And now the Japanese people may suffer radiation poisoning again! It's just breaking my heart!
I have thought about this several times before… If I had several minutes to evacuate I’d grab in this order:
-Emergency backpack full of basic survival stuff
-Purse (wallet, phone and address book is always in there)
-Flash Drive
-Binder of sentimental family info, photos and letters
-A collector doll, which is very special to me
-Journal
-Laptop
My laptop is the first thing I’d let go because anything important that is saved on that is also on the flash drive (plus it’s pretty heavy). The binder will be knocked down the list once I scan those things in (and save it on the flash drive). Also if my parents didn’t get it first, grabbing the folder of important documents would be one of the top priorities.
If I had more time and was able to take a car, I’d pack more food, clothes and other little things that are my most special.
@Claycat, I agree. It's extremely scary.
I would take:
--My 2 cats
--A flash drive with my writing on it
--My personal journals
--A stuffed dog I've had since childhood
--Wallet and cell phone
--iPod
--a few pieces of jewelery
--2 or 3 favorite books
Claycat, I agree. I live in South Carolina, USA where there are 4 nuclear plants and a dump site 45 minutes away in Savannah, Georgia. It is very unsettling.
Why aren't we developing clean solar and wind energy? Is there not enough money in it for the politicians back pocket? If this happened in Japan, it can happen near the rest of us, wherever we are.
My heart goes out to the people of Japan. In my whole life this is the worst disaster I've ever seen and there is no looting, demanding or bad behavior at all. I am very impressed by these people that are going through hell.
What would I take? I would be happy with my husband and 2 dogs. Everything else can be replaced and as we see with Japan, it can all be gone in a heartbeat.
Well, definitely my husband and our cats!
I would take my laptop. Depending on the disaster, there may not be anywhere for my cats to go that is any safer than staying at home with food and water for a few days.
My list of things (Worse case scenario shit. Evacuation and no where to go and zombies)
The must haves: (If I only had minutes to leave)
Knife attached to it is a fire starter and sharpening stone.
Canteen with its metal cup and pouch.
Multi-tool
Cats
I know it looks bad that I would go for the knives and water bottles before the cats, however without those tools I wouldn't be able to take care of my cats in the case of evacuation. I would probably only make it a few days before dehydration kicks in.
(If I had a little more time)
Flash lights x2
Small folding saw
large saw blades
Small Axe with handle
Mid Sized axe minus handle
Sleeping bag
Sleeping Pad
Tarp
Bivy
Wind up radio
Water purification
Backpack
Outdoor activity clothing.
Camp towel
Hard drives
Money
Those I think are my the most important and useful items I own for a situation of evacuation considering my environmental surroundings.
If I was given 30 minutes, and a car I could probably pack everything I own into my car, sans furniture as I said earlier.
Those are good practical things, FSA! I had a bug out bag all ready, but the bugs got into my seeds, so I had to get the bugs out. LOL!
We have a good knife with fishing line in the handles. We have one of those all purpose tools, a survival book, two blankets that fold into a small square, and a good small flashlight. We have a Big Berkey, but I need to get new filters. We need some canteens.
There are some other things I need to get.
@claycat
I highly recommend that you get rid of that knife with the fishing line in the handle. Those knives became popular as a result of the rambo films and are practically useless. I'd go as far as saying that knife is a danger to you safety should you use it.
For canteens I would suggest getting a Metal one or you can pick up a BPA free Nalgene oasis and that is under 10 bucks, that one is designed to fit in the old canteen cuts. That is what I own, I love it.
1. Documents (birth certificate, id, passport, etc)
2. Laptop, hard disks & cellphone
3. 3 books, 2 accessories - sentimental stuff
4. 2 pens & a notebook
5. 5 packs of pocket tissue
6. Clothes
what I would take depends on the time of year and the nature/intensity/expected duration of the problem.
firstly, though, would be documents binder, cat, spouse, his medicine, water, phone, charger, matches, flashlight.
Most of my i.d. is scanned and in the cloud, although when I get my new scanner I will update all of that.
I think I would add a pre-packed toiletry kit which also carries some first-aid supplies. I leave it packed for our frequent weekend trips.
with a bit more time, no doubt the list would grow.
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