No emergency kit

[KerryS]

What they are asking of everyone else is to look after themselves for 3/4 days so the emergency crews can tend to those who really need it. I'd feel awful walking into a communal emergency area, where others may have injuries or be sick and saying 'errr sorry could you also provide food, water and shelter for a family of five', especially if we were more than capable of looking after ourselves.

I think if nothing else - water, tent and food. It will not only make the difference to your own comfort but also to the help emergency teams can give others.

I get this - and I'm thinking I have all that at home, albeit not in one place, but what are the chances of having this stuff to hand if and when a disaster occurs?

I currently work at the airport, on a mezzanine floor of a massive hangar, and if there were an earthquake or somesuch out here, what would I do then? I've certainly not got a tent with me here! None of the websites I've read about this make it clear how you'd get your water etc in this situation. I can't possibly lug ten litres of water, food for 3 days and a tent around with me on the off chance there could be a disaster at some point...

[Tia Maria]

I get this - and I'm thinking I have all that at home, albeit not in one place, but what are the chances of having this stuff to hand if and when a disaster occurs?

I currently work at the airport, on a mezzanine floor of a massive hangar, and if there were an earthquake or somesuch out here, what would I do then? I've certainly not got a tent with me here! None of the websites I've read about this make it clear how you'd get your water etc in this situation. I can't possibly lug ten litres of water, food for 3 days and a tent around with me on the off chance there could be a disaster at some point...

How about something in your car?

Cheers

Tia

[James 1077]

Eleanor and I were talking about this last night; we don't really have a kit but couldn't think of too many situations where it would be necessary.

We've got the usual candles and a couple of torches (including one with a flashing LED so that you can find it when it is dark). We've got the BBQ outside if the power went and we needed to cook and always have a few tins of baked beans etc in.

The only likely emergency that I think that we would need to deal with around us is a tropical cyclone knocking out the power and trees and you get fair warning of them so can fill up the bath / spare bottles with water.

I guess a volcano erupting nearby is a possibility but highly unlikely (most of them around Auckland are dormant / extinct) and, again, we should get warning of increased activity anyway.

Earthquakes are highly to have any serious effect up here.

And if Taupo blew up in another super-volcano incident then we probably wouldn't be around to worry about not having an emergency kit anyway!

[KerryS]

How about something in your car?

Cheers

Tia

My car is parked a 15 minute walk from my office. So not sure that would be much better if we were a direct target. I may start a small emergency box for the boot though.
Gah - so much to think about that I never cared about before... I may check what civil defence at the airport suggest.

[Flutterby]

I would say that we have most of the stuff needed in our camping kit, which we keep by the door (and we are in the UK) so i guess it will be similar in NZ (we intend to bring our camping gear with us) but as has already been said before Unless you are at home (or wherever you intend to keep your kit) at the time will it be any use to you? Also you would have to keep checking the food cos should it be 5 years before anything happens even longlife foods would likely be out of date by then

[Moorf]

I thought most large companies had quake boxes with water, first aid and food in them to last a few days - surely the airport has them?

There are around 49 volcanoes in the Auckland area - some dormant, some extinct, but from memory I think Auckland sits on a big lava field some 100km below it - so there's alway the chance.....

[Tia Maria]

I guess a volcano erupting nearby is a possibility but highly unlikely (most of them around Auckland are dormant / extinct) and, again, we should get warning of increased activity anyway.

Earthquakes are highly to have any serious effect up here.

And if Taupo blew up in another super-volcano incident then we probably wouldn't be around to worry about not having an emergency kit anyway!

Is that true any earthquakes/tsunamis will hit the Wellington area, not the Auckland area?

I certainly think Devonport would burn very well if there were any fires!

Cheers

Tia

[Tia Maria]

My car is parked a 15 minute walk from my office. So not sure that would be much better if we were a direct target. I may start a small emergency box for the boot though.
Gah - so much to think about that I never cared about before... I may check what civil defence at the airport suggest.

Sorry! Neither did I!

I think it would take a lot of dosh to get an 'all singing all dancing' emergency kit but I'm working on the principle that anything I do get is one more thing that I didn't have before.

We're getting a rucksack for the car - first aid, money, water and chocolate! I figure it would help even if we just broke down as my kids can't go 5 mins without food.

Cheers

Tia

[Tia Maria]

I would say that we have most of the stuff needed in our camping kit, which we keep by the door (and we are in the UK) so i guess it will be similar in NZ (we intend to bring our camping gear with us) but as has already been said before Unless you are at home (or wherever you intend to keep your kit) at the time will it be any use to you? Also you would have to keep checking the food cos should it be 5 years before anything happens even longlife foods would likely be out of date by then

I was planning on checking it and updating it when the clocks change as they have lots of adverts here reminding you to check your smoke alarm so hopefully that would remind me.

I guess most people are at home sleeping for at least a third of the day so unless they don't happen at night there is a 33% chance you will be at home.

Cheers

Tia

[Familyofmonkeys]

I thought most large companies had quake boxes with water, first aid and food in them to last a few days - surely the airport has them?

There are around 49 volcanoes in the Auckland area - some dormant, some extinct, but from memory I think Auckland sits on a big lava field some 100km below it - so there's alway the chance.....

The current advice is the next volcanic eruption from the Auckland field is not likely to be at the site of an existing volcano and will probably create a new volcano (like rangitoto)....and there could be very little warning too


Here is a map with the areas most at risk.....
http://www.arc.govt.nz/albany/fms/ma...%20Hazards.pdf