Nothing Day
7 hours ago
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
When to Evacuate
Do you bug out or do you bug in? The situation in the Houston area is a clear example of the problem.
My wife's parents bugged out. Actually, they were out of Texas and decided not to come back until it was all over. I've a sister-in-law in the Houston area. Her and her family have decided to bug in. So far, they are doing well.
One thing that became very clear is that you cannot rely on the government to tell you when to bug out. There were conflicting suggestions between state and local officials. There are people who decided to stay then later tried to bug out only to get stuck in their vehicles.
If you are going to bug out do it early. Don't wait for an official pronouncement. If and when that happens the roads will quickly turn into long parking lots. That's what happened to my sister-in-law during the Rita evacuation. They spent a long time stuck on the highway and never made it to their destination. They were fortunate that a church took them in for the night. No doubt the memory of that failed exodus is one reason they decided to shelter in place.
Fairly recently I posted a blog about the advantages of having an inflatable kayak to bug out in. I bet a lot of Texas folks would have loved to have a boat like that right now. A heavy duty, large capacity inflatable kayak will get you out of trouble. They are tough enough not to get punctured on debris and light enough to drag over shallow spots.
The big threat now is flooding. However, there are plenty of other reasons to get out of Dodge. Wildfires, civil unrest, hazardous material releases, and who knows what else. The trick to a successful evacuation is to leave early. Better to have the occasional false alarm rather than become a victim.
If you decide to bug in, make sure you have all you need. We see that this storm is going on a lot longer than expected. As the storm continues, more people will run out of resources and need rescue. Having a plan B is a good idea.
My prayers and concerns are with the people of Texas and Louisiana right now.
-Sixbears
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Yeah, they have their hands full down in Houston and adjacent areas. Too much water on the ground - the clean up will be massive.
ReplyDeleteGasoline prices are going through the roof as predicted. Most gas stations here have already 'bagged' their pumps (no gas). But still leave up the old gas prices as a draw for people to stop. That ticks me off !
The 'Cajun Navy' and other good samaritans are out there, helping strangers regardless of color or creed. I wish the MSM would show this more, they deserve a lot of credit. One item I saw on a list of donations is 2 stroke oil as a gas additive for those engines that need it. Not the normal item mentioned - Good call !!
I've seen the "Cajun Navy" on the news here in NH. They are doing good work.
DeleteIt's going to be tough to get gas to leave the area, even if you can find a road out.
Two stroke oil, makes sense, but had not thought of it.
The Cajun Navy just learned that some of them are best left to drown. They are pulling their volunteers out.
ReplyDeletehttp://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com/2017/08/cmon-texas.html
Sometimes I weep for the species.
DeleteThat didn't take long to go south.
My cousin from Houston, is still stuck out at his hunting lease. Can't get back.
ReplyDeleteLeaving early sounds like a good idea, but if those farther away from trouble, like in Houston, leave while those in Galveston are trying to leave, it only makes things worse. The routes have been designated so that those closer to the problem can get ahead of those further out. Makes sense if you're in the middle of it.
ReplyDeleteBTW - we are still dry, but rather isolated with water all around us. We're sitting between Lake Houston and the San Jacinto river, and both will be receiving more flow in the days to come.