We have a plan, but it's heavily seasoned with a concept borrowed from a local SAR group: "Semper Gumby", or always flexible.
I agree that the country is in trouble, and things could easily go sideways at any time. One of our main natural disasters here, would be a major earthquake, which after the first Great Shakeout exercise a few years back, is actually well defined, and time spent preparing for this has us somewhat prepared for most anything but a direct nuke strike. Firestorms, grid-down, national guard activations, you name it are likely after a major quake here.
We've always been campers and outdoor oriented, so the basic plan is for 'bug-in', to slip into camping mode, with some stealth as needed, including a radio watch to monitor local freqs, for a clue as to what may be coming our way, power generation will be limited to solar panels. Really nowhere else for us to go right now, tho the location is really lousy, I'm pretty surrounded by 'entitlement' types.
I took CERT training with an adjacent city, Long Beach, they were very ham friendly, but focused away from my hometurf, nach.
Later, CERT was offered in my local city, so my wife and I took the course together. LA County fire hosted, and it was not so ham friendly (WE will do the comms, >YOU< won't be needing it). Ok fine, reset my expectations with them. Still the standardized CERT training was worthwhile.
I had hoped that inside intel would flow, but hasn't proved to be the case, really. The local ARES group mission is evolving to support the hospitals in the region, and most sub regions have been grouped into a LA County-wide core, which seems to be centered in the opposit end of the county, about 70-90 miles from my home turf, again.
So, none of the 'institutional' groups, in this area, seem to meet the needs I perceive for my family group.
With sons moved out this year, one married, one with long term girlfriend (very likely married soon, lol), things have gotten a bit easier, but at the same time more complicated. Can't seem to get the concept of infrastructure free comms being essential to them, nothing ever 'breaks' here, so complacency is easy. Also, we've started casting an eye toward possible relocation, Alpine Az, or further north? LOve mountains, not so much deserts, but fewer people in the deserts. Lots of food potential in ocean coastal environments. Planning has to focus on what/where we are, as well as where might end up, hoping we have enought time to get there.
Current goals for myself and wife, mine are to push us into more infrastructure free comms, I'm starting to slowly teach her how to use the spare HT (I have a couple of vx-6r's, they hear the entire local spectrum of interest, and don't drink too much power) to gather intel locally, and she is very slowly studying for her tech, right now using ham test online. Aside from comms, working on improving cashflow. I've also tried growing various veggies with mixed results, right now I've had success with several culinary herbs, so keep trying with the edibles. It's a learning curve. Livestock, not yet, location.
Also in the queue I want to try to learn some primitive blacksmithing, there is a pretty good video from Hoods woods on knife making which would be a good starting point. Also they haven a video on Bronze casting I don't yet have.
Good question, some great comments, I loved the intro picture, RadioRay, I might use it a a cover for the 'family disaster handbook', lol. Keep the subject matter in the right mood, lol.
Have a great day everyone
Underhill
I agree that the country is in trouble, and things could easily go sideways at any time. One of our main natural disasters here, would be a major earthquake, which after the first Great Shakeout exercise a few years back, is actually well defined, and time spent preparing for this has us somewhat prepared for most anything but a direct nuke strike. Firestorms, grid-down, national guard activations, you name it are likely after a major quake here.
We've always been campers and outdoor oriented, so the basic plan is for 'bug-in', to slip into camping mode, with some stealth as needed, including a radio watch to monitor local freqs, for a clue as to what may be coming our way, power generation will be limited to solar panels. Really nowhere else for us to go right now, tho the location is really lousy, I'm pretty surrounded by 'entitlement' types.
I took CERT training with an adjacent city, Long Beach, they were very ham friendly, but focused away from my hometurf, nach.
Later, CERT was offered in my local city, so my wife and I took the course together. LA County fire hosted, and it was not so ham friendly (WE will do the comms, >YOU< won't be needing it). Ok fine, reset my expectations with them. Still the standardized CERT training was worthwhile.
I had hoped that inside intel would flow, but hasn't proved to be the case, really. The local ARES group mission is evolving to support the hospitals in the region, and most sub regions have been grouped into a LA County-wide core, which seems to be centered in the opposit end of the county, about 70-90 miles from my home turf, again.
So, none of the 'institutional' groups, in this area, seem to meet the needs I perceive for my family group.
With sons moved out this year, one married, one with long term girlfriend (very likely married soon, lol), things have gotten a bit easier, but at the same time more complicated. Can't seem to get the concept of infrastructure free comms being essential to them, nothing ever 'breaks' here, so complacency is easy. Also, we've started casting an eye toward possible relocation, Alpine Az, or further north? LOve mountains, not so much deserts, but fewer people in the deserts. Lots of food potential in ocean coastal environments. Planning has to focus on what/where we are, as well as where might end up, hoping we have enought time to get there.
Current goals for myself and wife, mine are to push us into more infrastructure free comms, I'm starting to slowly teach her how to use the spare HT (I have a couple of vx-6r's, they hear the entire local spectrum of interest, and don't drink too much power) to gather intel locally, and she is very slowly studying for her tech, right now using ham test online. Aside from comms, working on improving cashflow. I've also tried growing various veggies with mixed results, right now I've had success with several culinary herbs, so keep trying with the edibles. It's a learning curve. Livestock, not yet, location.
Also in the queue I want to try to learn some primitive blacksmithing, there is a pretty good video from Hoods woods on knife making which would be a good starting point. Also they haven a video on Bronze casting I don't yet have.
Good question, some great comments, I loved the intro picture, RadioRay, I might use it a a cover for the 'family disaster handbook', lol. Keep the subject matter in the right mood, lol.
Have a great day everyone
Underhill