gooeydog Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 is getting more than a little annoying, but since we live only about 10-15 miles from a rather large US port (Baltimore City) and I'm guessing maybe 100-150 miles from Washington DC, I am getting a little concerned about what we're going to do if something happens. I have family that works in DC, as a police officer around the FBI field office, and they told me that after the stuff they've been hearing at work, even they're getting worried. They've already talked to me about the things we need to do if something does happen, but it's not going to be fun at all staying in the basement apartment (2 bedrooms, a combo livingroom/dining room/kitchen, and a bathroom) with 5 dogs and a cat. I know we're lucky we have that though, and it would be even worse if we only had one room to stay in. We already have most of the stuff us people need (my parents stay in the basement, so it's got just about everything we need), so we just need to get the dogs' stuff. I'm going to fill up some 5 gallon buckets with water for them, and take enough food down there for them. What are we going to do about them having to "potty" though? We have some of those pee-pee pad things already, but only Joey will use them (Annie prefers the floor, and Casey usually goes outside, but will go on the floor if we don't make it in time). Goo only goes in the house when she's sick, and even then she only goes a little, like she's trying not to. I was thinking about maybe "planting" some grass in a tray or something, and hoping that she thinks it's ok because it's grass? I just don't want her to get sick from trying not to go on the floor. And the other thing is that we still have Haley here, and she needs her insulin twice a day or she'll get sick and if she doesn't have it for a couple days die. The insulin has to be kept cold (but not freezing) or it will go bad. So if the electricity goes out, how are we going to keep the insulin cold enough (normally we keep it refrigerated) since we can't stick it outside in the snow and ice would melt after a few hours/days. Any ideas? Quote
courtnek Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 I hope this helps. I am a diabetic. Insulin can be kept at room temperature - the reason they tell you to refrigerate it is because it holds it's potencey better when cold. It loses some of that potency over time at room temperature. When I travel, I take a "lunch bucket" with me. I put the insulin in a small plastic butter bowl and put ice in the lunch bucket to keep it cool. The lunch bucket is soft sided and has thick insulation on the sides. I carry my insulin on the plane that way. The ice goes in a thick plastic lunch bag. You can do the same thing with snow, if you lose power. Even cold water will work, you just have to replenish it frequently. If worse comes to worse, you can leave it at room temperature, but it will degrade faster. My brother is Air Force reserves. He's been called up to fly troops from Germany to Kuwait. My heart and thoughts go out to you. Quote
Kiger Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 gooeydog napisał(a):I am getting a little concerned about what we're going to do if something happens. Any ideas? Step 1. Bend Over Step 2. Grab your knees Step 3. Pull hard Step 4. Kiss your a** goodbye Sorry to be flip, but really, that's about it. My husband works for the State Dept. and that whole thing about plastic rooms and duct tape is a "keep the crazy masses calm" tactic - much like "duck and cover". I guess now it's Duct and Cover (with plastic). Boo - that was bad I know. Quote
science_doc Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 My mom called me the other day a bit worried since my lab window basically looks at the CDC about 1/2 block away. I try not to think about the possibility. I hadn't really thought about having to stay inside for weeks at a time with the cats. Now I'll never sleep, thanks goo. But seriously I was talking to my boss about the advice today and she said the same thing, what they are recommending probably won't really help, but people feel better when they can do something about their own future. Quote
alicat613 Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 Lots of great info here http://www.usdpi.org/news.htm including some advice on pets. I don't think we all need to get carried away, but it is always a good idea to be prepared! Quote
gooeydog Posted February 13, 2003 Author Posted February 13, 2003 I agree on the whole cover the windows thing, it doesn't seem like it'd be too effective against something that's going to kill a bunch of people. We're to the south of the city and north of DC though, so hopefully if they did dump somethng toxic on either of those places, it would be blown over pretty quickly (winds here are almost always heading at least somewhat to the east). My mom said that we probably wouldn't even bother with covering the windows, since if it would leak in through the windows, it would find other ways in. I still wouldn't want to be out wandering around with the dogs 3 times a day though :lol: Quote
ShadyLady Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 Oh my god is that what they're telling you to do . I never thought of that just proves how sheltered we are in OZ . Maybe they are suggesting window coverage in case of bombing or something . Do they really think you'll get attacks at home ,thats pretty scary .Sounds strange but maybe for goo who wont go inside it would be worth getting some powdered vitamin c .Dogs produce there own vit c 'unlike humans and if given in dosages of more than they need it will give them the runs (it's pretty hard to hold on if you've got the runs although it could be messy) Its also used for snakebites and posions so it might be well worth having some on hand Quote
courtnek Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 we in the states are on "orange alert" which is high, but not the worst. They are tyring to warn us to be careful, not saying that "this is it!" they just want to let everyone know that there could be issues, and to be pre-warned is better than to not know at all.... A lot of people are hammering the state department and local govt agencies with "what do I do" questions.... from my brother - air force reserves reactivated to duty 1. Fill milk cartons with water - as many as you can. 2. Buy and keep unspoilable food. soup, tuna, canned ham, etc. 3. Get sterno cans, in case the gas or electricity should go off. 4. If you have a fireplace and live in a cold climate, stock up on wood. 5. If not, stock up on charcoal and get a grill. the fumes can be vented to the outside through a window. DO NOT use a grill indoors without outside ventilation. A simple heat flue pipe can be attached to the grill to force it to vent outside through a window, You must leave part of the window open to the outside in case fumes develop anyway. 6. Be calm. If something bad happens, the red cross and emergency teams will be there to help. Go to a shelter if necessary. 7. If you dont have a cell phone, GET ONE! they will not be able to do anything to the orbiting satellites, even if they take out the regular phone services. 8. Trust in God. He is with us always. Quote
DogPaddle Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 Perhaps they want people to stay inside and cover the windows in case of the release of a communicable disease to stop person to person spread. If sick people remain home the transmition rate of illness is greatly reduced.? Quote
ShadyLady Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 Wow it just sounds really scarey we just got a brochure telling us to dob people in if they do strange things . Mind you we are not offically at war yet but we all know if america goes we'll follow :drinking: Quote
gooeydog Posted February 13, 2003 Author Posted February 13, 2003 Perhaps they want people to stay inside and cover the windows in case of the release of a communicable disease to stop person to person spread. If sick people remain home the transmition rate of illness is greatly reduced.? From what I've heard on the news (ick, news :roll: ), the plastic is supposed to help keep toxic chemicals and all those biological type things out. I'll see about getting some vitamin C, just in case (though I'm sure Goo would be humiliated if I made her do that :lol: ), better than having her whine and carry on because she has to go. Courtnek, by "lunch bucket" do you just mean something like a small cooler? We have a bunch of those little "igloo" things around here, and they're pretty well insulated. Quote
gooeydog Posted February 13, 2003 Author Posted February 13, 2003 Something else I did find kinda amusing about this whole thing is that many of the stores in this area (and I'm guessing other areas too) are completely sold out of plastic sheeting and duct tape :lol: . My aunt had to go to the local Walmart earlier, and said that everyone was scurrying around looking for the sheeting and duct tape, but there were only a few items scattered around the store (guess those things aren't usually "high demand" items, so they don't have much in stock). Quote
courtnek Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 Gooey, the ones I'm thinkng about are not Igloo - but a small igloo would work as well. It just has to be small enough to stay insulated and cool with only ice or snow. Rest assured, if you have to the insulin will stay viable for a fairly long time at room temp - this is just an added precaution for the long term. God help us - I hope this is only our govt trying tp foresee the long run. I have a 16 year old son. (who is also a diabetic, by the way) Quote
courtnek Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 A note on the plastic and duct tape fiasco.....Plastic will not keep germs (biological or otherwise) from getting in your house. Staying away from other people will help with standsrd cold virus' and stuff, but plastic and duct tape wont keep biological germs out. You cant stay inside forever... I grew up during the cold war - there are still shelters lined, pumped and ready to live in if a nuclear holocaust erupts... what kind of life is that? Quality of life is just as important as quantity of life... I personally will not live in a shelter underground for God knows how long until the air is clean to breathe... Quote
DogPaddle Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 If plastic and duct tape would keep airbourne chemicals and biologicals out wouldn't it keep air out as well and therefore wouldn't you sufficate if you stayed in there for a week? Anyone live in DC or near a US national monument? Quote
Horsefeathers! Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 I know I'm a weinie and I'm a cynic where the government is concerned. However, I am really and truly afraid for what might be happening. I'm not going to do the whole plastic and duct tape thing because I just think it would be futile. This sounds horrible, but I'm going to say it, anyway. I have given really serious consideration to swiping a bottle of pentobarbitol (what they use to euthanize animals) from the vet clinic where I work to have on hand "just in case." If full scale war breaks out and I'm facing a horrendous imminent death, I would rather take the swift, painless way out. I guess I'm funny that way. :-? Quote
humboldt505 Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 my husband in in the Air Force, we live in base housing, it is really sad right now. Alot of wives are having a hard time, with their husbands being gone so long. It's seems like such a direct threat to my family now. Everyday i wake up afraid i might have to say good=bye to my husb. I am more scared of being without him than anything else. Quote
Guest roo Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 humboldt505 napisał(a):my husband in in the Air Force, we live in base housing, it is really sad right now. Alot of wives are having a hard time, with their husbands being gone so long. It's seems like such a direct threat to my family now. Everyday i wake up afraid i might have to say good=bye to my husb. I am more scared of being without him than anything else. :cry: I think that in this day and age war should not be needed. But then again, sometimes it is impossible to avoid :x Quote
behle Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 I was in elementary school in the days of bomb shelters and school practice drills for duck and cover under our student desks (in case of nuclear attack). How ridiculous was that? My husband and I feel the same about the rush today for emergency supplies. There is no way that plastic and duct tape will protect any person from a biological agent, much less a dirty nuclear bomb. Just love the people you are with, watch for strangers, arrange a meeting place in case of emergency, and use common sense about water and supplies. We live in the country, have our own well, have wood, have a big freezer full of meat, etc. But even though we are in the country we are only 30 minutes away from one of our government's main computer and supply centers - in fact my nephew works there. The school I work at is only 5 short blocks away from this Federal Center. I would rather go in the first wave rather than survive to suffer. My perspective as a 50 year old can't help but be different than those of you still in the flush of youth. My thoughts and prayers go with you all as we live through these stressful and uncertain times. Pray that reason will prevail over anger. Quote
Kiger Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 DogPaddle napisał(a):If plastic and duct tape would keep airbourne chemicals and biologicals out wouldn't it keep air out as well and therefore wouldn't you sufficate if you stayed in there for a week? Anyone live in DC or near a US national monument? Yes to both questions. A totally airtight room would have to have some kind of outside ventilation system with filters on it. That's why I find the whole duct tape yourself up in your house thing so silly. And I live about 10 miles from DC. This morning they were scaring us with evacuation routes, Hummers with Stinger missiles, and cops with automatic weapons. It's a great place to live right now. :drinking: Quote
Pumpkin the musher Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 IMO, this whole business about preparing for an attack is a form of terrorism in itself- by our own government. Yes, be ready, be prepared, but plastic your windows???. The last few mornings around northern Wisconsin we've had temperatures from 15 to 20 below F. with wind chills near 50 below. We burn wood, but it's not enough to heat the whole house, so with the furnace running, making your house airtight will kill you with carbon monoxide before any chemical weapon known could. Idiots. Quote
Kiger Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 I'm still waiting to turn on the news one day and hear, "No terrorist attack yet, but in other news, 35 people died of suffocation after duct taping themselves inside their homes." Quote
mouseatthebusstop Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 Kiger napisał(a):I'm still waiting to turn on the news one day and hear, "No terrorist attack yet, but in other news, 35 people died of suffocation after duct taping themselves inside their homes." I can see that happening Quote
cairnmom Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 Hey Pumpkin, nice to see another Wisconsinite dealing with these freezing temps! We haven't really done anything to "prepare." We have some food stockpiled but not enough to live on for any length of time. We have enough guns and bullets to go a mile or two over and hunt some deer and ducks out of the marsh I suppose :lol: But, we are not planning on duct taping ourselves in. Our old house is not going to be air tight with some plastic sheetings on the windows! I really think if anything happened, my neighborhood would really get together and probably shack up in one house to conserve resources. Jessica Quote
DogPaddle Posted February 13, 2003 Posted February 13, 2003 Kiger - We saw missile launching trucks on the lawns of key buildings and monuments on the news. I can see that as being disturbing or reassuring depending how you look at it. Your all in our thoughts. Quote
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