Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: emergency preparedness

[Lynn Nadeau / Maraiah (welcome]

RoseWind Cohousing, long-built in Port Townsend WA, has 24 households, in 
single-family homes. When we built  our common house, we had a "transfer 
switch" wired into the circuit-breaker panel, so we could accomodate use of a 
generator if we later chose to do so. 

We haven't gotten a generator, though the possibility gets raised from time to 
time. It would need to be propane or gas. Gas goes bad and is hazardous. 
Equipment needs to be maintained and stored some place.... In a power outage we 
still have a gas cookstove and a propane heater at the common house.

We installed a manual water pump alongside the electric one at our agricultural 
well, which also has tested ok for drinking. We have a gravity-feed Big Berkey 
drinking-water filter with our supplies, as well as some tents, blankets, 
tools, first-aid supplies, portable stretcher, plastic sheeting, duct tape etc. 

Between our common house pantry and our homes, there is plenty of food. 

We have an AED at the common house.

We figure in an emergency like an earthquake other neighbors will likely 
gravitate to our common house, and so our stash also includes clipboards, 
markers, flashlights, pens and maps, so we can send folks out to check on 
places and report back.

We have two amateur radio operators, and recently supplied every household with 
a $9 walkie-talkie. We've started a weekly check-in time with the walkie 
talkies, to keep aware of how they work.

Maraiah Lynn Nadeau
ps Quimper Village that recently posted is a brand-new age-55+ cohousing also 
in Port Townsend WA, almost within sight of RoseWind, which is also close to 
our neighboring Port Townsend EcoVillage.