Well, the shit hit the fan in Puerto Rico. BIG TIME.
This disaster has been decades in the making. My partner and I moved out fifteen years ago and we return every Christmas. Every year the infrastructure (public and private) is a little bit worse, the services are a little bit more expensive, people have less money so they invest less, and the infrastructure gets even worse. Wash, rinse and repeat.
https://www.thecipherbrief.com/column/expert-view/american-tragedy-puerto-rico
It finally came to a head with hurricane Maria. The whole island was laid to waste. The electric grid is gone. Houses were leveled. Roads were destroyed. Cell towers collapsed.
The communications breakdown was the worst part. Aid couldn't get through. People panicked. There was no way to get information.
It will be six months, at least, before electricity comes back. No one knows how long it will be before communications are restored. Three weeks after the hurricane, it's still chaos. There's more water coming down and more floods. Illnesses from contaminated water are starting to spread. Jobs are disappearing. It's going to be a very looooooooong emergency.
I think the number one lesson to be learned here is: get the heck out of dodge. We left the island when we saw the first signs of collapse and have never regretted. That's my first takeaway: it's not going to get better and it will get a lot worse so get out ASAP.
But some people may not be able to leave. The US state we currently live in is Puerto Rico 2.0. I can easily see this basket case state facing the same kind of catastrophic situation in a decade or so. Decades of mismanagement will take their toll. Because of work and school, we may be stuck here for a while
So here are my PR takeaways (keeping in mind that the first one is GET OUT!) if you're stuck in a place that goes to hell in a handbasket:
1) Water, water, water. Collecting and storing potable water is vital. Filters are nice, but one of the main problems in PR right now is lestospirosis, which is not something you can filter out unless you have a UV filter. That's very scary.
https://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/leptospirosis-youan-outline-facts/
So I'm learning about boiling water and chlorinating. Fun!
https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/emergency-disinfection-drinking-water
2) Cash is king. Puerto Rico had no cash for days. People needed water, food, and fuel and all had to be paid for in cash. Keep a lot of cash around. Savings are vital as economic activity grinds to a halt.
2) Communications is key. Cell towers collapsed almost instantly and to this day the island still has little cell connectivity/ When push comes to shove, there's nothing like AM/FM radio. The Zello app also seems to be useful. I have to download that and learn how it works.
We have an earlier version of this guy.
https://www.amazon.com/Eton-FRX5-Purpose-Weather-Bluetooth/dp/B01K6OCSI6/
But I'm thinking of getting a small one for backup.
https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-RF-P50-Pocket-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B00004T1XE/
Having a way to use phones without cell service is also good. I'm looking into these messaging gadgets to see fi they work.
https://www.amazon.com/goTenna-text-phone-service-required/dp/B016Z0H0IS/
3) Electricity may be scarce or nonexistent. Generators are good to have, but not everyone can get one in time. I'm amazed at how few people realize they have a portable generator sitting right there in their driveway. Having a device that will let you charge phones an other small electronics with your car is vital. Keep in mind that fuel will be in short supply if everyone (including hospitals and shelters) is using a generator. Right now, generators are useless in PR as there is a critical diesel shortage. My main takeaway is: learn to maximize your car, as gasoline is now relatively easy to get (although it wasn't at first).
https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Power-Inverter-Adapter-Charging/dp/B00UFERZKO/
4) No electricity means no fresh foods anywhere. If the supply chain breaks down completely, you may not get food for days. Conventional wisdom was that you had to have food for a three-day emergency. I upped that to seven days when a snowstorm in Virginia left us stranded for a week, but Puerto Rico is something else. You have people there who were isolated for three weeks or more!
They've already had deaths due to food poisoning. Even if restaurants and supermarkets are open, the food may be spoiled and you may be better off making your own.That means you need nonperishables that your family will actually consume--cereals your kids like and canned goods they will eat. Pasta, powdered mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and rice are good, as are canned stew, spaghetti sauce and chili. Think of what you'll actually use the food for. Don't assume your kids will eat that awesome tuna concoction you found on that pepper website. They probably won't. And for the love of mercy get some canned fruit.
I'm going to have to start thinking of what we would actually do with all the cans in the pantry so I have these books on my shopping list now:
https://www.amazon.com/Can-Opener-Gourmet-Delicious-Ingredients-ebook/dp/B015YVWIKE/
https://www.amazon.com/Preppers-Cookbook-Emergency-Nutritious-Life-Saving/dp/1612431291/
An ice cooler will come in handy for drinks and perishables like milk and cheese, at least for a couple of days. Ice distribution is actually working right now in PR, so maybe even longer than that. Making block ice before the crisis is a good idea as is having a reliable cooler. Right now, I'm wondering if the Yeti is worth the money.
It's worth noting that FEMA emergency meals have turned out to be total crap. They give you a bottle of water, a candy bar and a packet of applesauce to last you a whole day. You
have to prepare. There is
no safety net.
5) Food is only part of the equation. You need to be able to wash and dry clothes without electricity. Think old-fashioned washtubs and washboards. You need to be able to clean, including mud and debris. Think wet vacuums and industrial brooms and brushes and lots and lots of trash bags. You may need to shovel out mud or saw through tree branches. You need to
wash the food cans before you open them because of the leptospirosis (rats pee on the cans and Puerto Rico already had one death because of this). Everything you buy or obtain after the crisis is potentially contaminated so act accordingly.
Also keep in mind that critters crawl out of the woodwork during a natural disaster. Texas had fire ants and snakes. Puerto Rico had bats and lizards and mosquitos. You're going to have to clean and dispose of these guys too. Stagnant water will be everywhere and that will mean even more creepy crawlies. Yes, the fun never ends.
6) You need to think hard about personal upkeep items and keep in mind your climate. If you're in the tropics, you'll need bug spray. If it's winter, you'll need chap stick. Diarrhea medicine is now in short supply in Puerto Rico. Pet food will be hard to find, not to mention baby supplies and feminine hygiene products. Remember the kitty litter!!!! Everything will be humid which means mold. Debris will be everywhere, which means allergens. Allergy medicine will suddenly become very important. Baby wipes are life-savers when water is scarce and don't forget the toilet paper.
http://thesurvivalmom.com/10-essential-otc-medications-emergency-kit/
The diseases that are spreading right now are conjunctivitis, lice, scabies and conjunctivitis. Bring on the hand sanitizer and iodine!
7) You also need to assess your vulnerabilities. Where will water come in? Where will it settle? Do I have to move valuables or furniture? Where are the safest spots? Do I have a safe place to sleep? Should I just secure this place and move in with family/friends until the crisis passes?
7) People are people. Generators get stolen. Aid gets stolen. Cars are broken into. Everyone will be carrying cash, so robberies suddenly become quite popular. With no communication, victims can't call the police (who are likely dealing with other stuff anyway), so burglaries and looting are endemic. Your house or shelter should be as safe as you can possibly make it. You should go outside as little as possible, but people get bored.
8) Transportation is iffy. Some roads will remain blocked for days. In San Juan, debris was not collected for weeks and a follow-up storm quickly flooded the street destroying cars (and spreading the garbage around, which is even worse). In addition, it kept on raining and bridges and roads are now sinking into the saturated dirt. A 4x4 risky, but the added mobility and safety have to be weighed against the cost and scarcity of fuel. It's a tricky question. Also, you should have road maps handy. Add that to the shopping list.
9) Entertainment is also a consideration. People get bored, anxious, and depressed with nothing to do. You should have multiple radios with headphones. Portable DVD and CD players are also good, as are books or impromptu scrapbooking or journaling projects. Work and school may be suspended for a long time and people need something to occupy the time. Downloading games and movies/shows onto a computer tablet before the crisis will pay off in spades. This is one instance when a Candy Crush addiction will actually come in handy. Having a way to power a television and a gaming console will also help keep you sane.
Here's a good sanity list:
http://thesurvivalmom.com/10-non-edibles-for-your-emergency-stash/
Here's a good last-minute prep list.
http://thesurvivalmom.com/50-last-minute-ways-prepare-emergency/
Lots of food for thought.
