Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing and disaster prep

[Lynn Nadeau (welcome]

Here at RoseWind Cohousing we have done some work, internally, to  
improve our preparedness (earthquake is the major likelihood here in  
Port Townsend WA.)

Some of what we've done:

When we built our common house, we included a "transfer switch" in the  
electric box, so a generator could be hooked up to it. Never got a  
generator though.

Set up a collection of useful items (see any local emergency prep  
booklets) in a shed which should remain accessible. Including some  
food, water, first aid, hard hats, tools.

We are on City water but have a well for our vegetable gardens and  
orchards. As it is dependent on an electric pump, we installed a  
manual pump as well (just like Grandma's, from Lehman's). It's also  
kind of fun, and gives us access to garden water when the main system  
is shut down for winter.

We took orders for a good $20 first aid kit the local Red Cross sells,  
so more people have them in their cars and homes.

Our plan was to go through a county get-ready book, month by month,  
with a newsletter and info on a different topic each time (eg water  
storage). We   never got past issue two...

We had each family write up directions and diagram for where the  
utility shutoffs are in their house (propane, water) and filed copies  
in one place. At a meeting, we got together in small neighbor groups  
and visited each others homes to actually SEE. I was in another group  
that determined where the valves were on the common house, and  
reported back.

We also participated in some meetings of the larger neighborhood  
around us. Experienced emergency responders pointed out that, ready or  
not, people would gravitate to our common house as a shelter and  
source of information. And that it was important to have ways to give  
such people, if able bodied, something useful to DO. Recommended we  
have a good map of the larger neighborhood, clipboards, flashlights,  
markers: "Here, go check on that house and report what you find."

The most experienced responder (FEMA international etc) also gave us a  
handy hint: make long loops of soft nylon webbing (like an inch wide  
or less) such as you can buy by the yard in the climbing department of  
REI. Stitch ten feet or so into a solid loop, and  in little space you  
have a good way to haul things around, looped over your wrist, or  
whole body, as need be.

Lynn Nadeau
RoseWind Cohousing
where we have a lovely spacious sunny house for sale see
www.rosewind.org