Gots me two massive water containers from the council. Looks like they were doing a very swift trade in them today!

Just remember where ever you put your kit you need to be able to get to it. If it's in the middle of the house and the house falls down are you still going to be able to get to it? The garden shed is a great place for it or somewhere out side.

- just not in the garage, especially if you have an electric door, as poor Dr Hassenbank mentioned in the Dom Post today...

OK, here's the thing - what the past few days have taught me, and without getting into debates about what & how the authorities should have managed to do, is that in a major disaster scenario such as this you can expect to have to fend for yourself for those first 3 days minimum. The task of getting emergency response up and running, collecting and collating info, making decisions, and diseminating information back out to "the people" is absolutely massive, and the emergency response can not, and will not, be able to help you find out where to buy batteries for your torches & transistor radios, how to find out if aunty Flo is OK, where to go for water, or whether the 2.30 movie at Hoyts is still showing ......

Here in Canterbury it is clear there are massive gaps in communications strategies especially. Even after 3 days things are nothing like "normal service". On the surface functional things like power & water seem good mostly, petrol stations are pumping gas, food supply seems secure, buses are running again ... but we are running short of good sleep & rest and psychologically are very much over it. If you and your whanau are not at least minimally prepared you will be stressed, and that does nobody any good - not your kids, partner / spouse, or neighbours.

There are some fantastic volunteer efforts being coordinated around the place, and for many the "it's a bitch, I can't go to work because my building is cordoned or condemed" joke will wear thin before long .........

* pauses to run to door frame again

That's all - keep smiling out there, and think of helping out those less fortunate

goldfish wrote:Gots me two massive water containers from the council. Looks like they were doing a very swift trade in them today!

Where etc for these please?

Spyder wrote:

goldfish wrote:Gots me two massive water containers from the council. Looks like they were doing a very swift trade in them today!

Where etc for these please?

Many of the "Plastic Box" or other plastic wharehouse type stores should have food grade jerry cans of 20L or so.

pedalingkiwi wrote:OK, here's the thing - what the past few days have taught me, and without getting into debates about what & how the authorities should have managed to do, is that in a major disaster scenario such as this you can expect to have to fend for yourself for those first 3 days minimum. The task of getting emergency response up and running, collecting and collating info, making decisions, and diseminating information back out to "the people" is absolutely massive, and the emergency response can not, and will not, be able to help you find out where to buy batteries for your torches & transistor radios, how to find out if aunty Flo is OK, where to go for water, or whether the 2.30 movie at Hoyts is still showing ......

Here in Canterbury it is clear there are massive gaps in communications strategies especially. Even after 3 days things are nothing like "normal service". On the surface functional things like power & water seem good mostly, petrol stations are pumping gas, food supply seems secure, buses are running again ... but we are running short of good sleep & rest and psychologically are very much over it. If you and your whanau are not at least minimally prepared you will be stressed, and that does nobody any good - not your kids, partner / spouse, or neighbours.

There are some fantastic volunteer efforts being coordinated around the place, and for many the "it's a bitch, I can't go to work because my building is cordoned or condemed" joke will wear thin before long .........

* pauses to run to door frame again

That's all - keep smiling out there, and think of helping out those less fortunate

Good on you, G. We're all thinking of you and hoping that your ordeal ends immediately.

Spyder wrote:

goldfish wrote:Gots me two massive water containers from the council. Looks like they were doing a very swift trade in them today!

Where etc for these please?

ok Goldfish is in Wellington, you are in Chch? Wellington you can get them from the service center at the council buildings downtown, and possibly from some libraries. sorry can't help re Chch.

cheers Oli
had planned to have a bit of sleep in his morning to restore balance but the 7.50am, 5.1 jolt near Heathcote Valley put paid to that

Have just been up into roof to check header tank - is sitting on two closely spaced walls, and looks fine, but on my way into work will call by the hardware store for restraining devices to be fitted this evening.

I know this sounds a bit silly, but I would seriously consider putting a hipflask of whiskey or something in the emergancy kit too. Not a huge amount of booze, but I don't think I would have coped very well without a few drinks on Saturday and I'm pretty sure it was the only reason I got any sleep. I'm not saying get boozed, but sleep is something that's hard to come by in all the shaking.

Tinkerbell wrote:I know this sounds a bit silly, but I would seriously consider putting a hipflask of whiskey or something in the emergancy kit too. Not a huge amount of booze, but I don't think I would have coped very well without a few drinks on Saturday and I'm pretty sure it was the only reason I got any sleep. I'm not saying get boozed, but sleep is something that's hard to come by in all the shaking.

Here here, Cheers

We failed completely with no battery radio so had to resort to sitting in car for first hour. That was until I realised the laptop was still dial up capable (no power so wireless gone). After a few failed password attempts got it going and streamed a local radio station. Later in day had to jury rig laptop power via a spare car battery
MTB helmets lights came in real handy