Emergency Plan - What would you do??

[potioncat]

 "Tonks" <tonks_op at ...> wrote:
>
> This is going to be as OT as anything can be... unless you consider 
> a possible invasion by Death Eaters...
> 
> I know that the government has told home-builder that they should 
> put a 'safe room' in the basement of every new home they build. I 
> expect that this has not been well publicized so as not to alarm 
the 
> public. As I understand it is is for a "high wind event".  But it 
> sounds like a fall-out shelter to me. Here is what I want to know 
> from some of your really smart folks out there. Or maybe a boy or 
> girl scout or two. Or a shaman if any are here. Maybe a scientist? 


Potioncat:
Actually, this sounds like someone has distorted a government 
statement in order to sell new home buyers some extras to their new 
home.

There were/are guidelines for emergency preparedness. Many came out 
after 9/11. One that I found particularly amusing involved lining a 
room with plastic and sealing it with duct tape. I recall wondering 
whether I would perfer to die from whatever I might be breathing or 
from slow afixiation in an airtight room with 4 other people and no 
bathroom. (because the room in my house that best met the guidelines 
does not have a toilet.) I don't know "who" had put out that advice, 
but it sold a lot of duct tape and plastic before the papers 
retracted it.

There were some other ideas as well. Some were pretty close to "have 
a code word in case your loved one is being impersonated by a 
polyjuiced wizard."

Since then, several booklets have come out with advice on what sort 
of supplies one should have on hand, what sort of shelter one should 
seek, etc. These are for general emergencies, of whatever sort one's 
imagination could come up with. Yes, the US government has published 
several. 

If I have a chance, I'll see what I can find.