[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Subject: Today's Rant: Just how dumb is our federal government, anyway?

Look at U.S. Government's recommended Emergency Supply Kit, as shown on their FEMA website, which is also linked from the Dept. of Homeland Security website, under the link "READY - A national public service advertising campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks." So it's the government's recommended preparedness list for both natural disasters and terrorist attacks aftermath.

Here it is:

http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html

Here's what it says:

Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:
Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
Local maps
Cell phone with chargers

Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:
Prescription medications and glasses
Infant formula and diapers
Pet food and extra water for your pet
Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
Cash or traveler's checks and change
Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
Fire Extinguisher
Matches in a waterproof container
Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
Paper and pencil
Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

While I essentially agree with the items that made the list, it's the glaring omission that troubles me, particularly when you look at the "Additional Items" list. Nowhere is a firearm mentioned. And this is after the government's experience with Hurrican Katrina, which proved beyond all doubt that a firearm is a very desirable tool for your tool kit during a natural disaster (for both victims and rescuers alike), with gangs of violent looting criminals roving about.

I wonder how many people who were victims of looters during Katrina in New Orleans, some of whom are now dead at the hands of the criminals, while waiting several days for rescuers from the government, would have rather have had a firearm, or one of these recommended items: Insurance papers, a whistle, games & puzzles, paper & pencil, maps, toothpaste, and traveler's checks?

That's just natural disasters, let alone that it purports to be a terrorist attack preparedness list as well. Next time the terrorists may opt for tactics which are defensible with small arms, such as just releasing dozens or hundreds of terrorists going around shooting people up. Ya think a gun might come in handy if Al Quiada lets loose 100 terrorists armed with machine guns & hand grenades in your city, with instructions to kill every infidel they can find? They did just exactly such a thing in Mumbai, India in 2008.

The government could at a minimum put something like: "Firearms and Ammunition, if you are experienced, knowledgeable, and safe in their handling characteristics, and legal justification and ramifications for use."

They sure seem to care a lot more about your CONTROL than your WELL-BEING, don't they?

If you agree, please write or email FEMA and DHS and President Obama, and tell them how stupid they are for leaving off firearms & ammo (in a tactful way, of course). Suggest that they add firearms to the Basic list. And forward this email to everyone you know.


P.S. Also, a gasoline generator is a glaring omission there, especially to the extended list. And electric heaters, to run off said generator, and/or fuel-based heaters (propane/butane/kerosene/gasoline). These items should be toward the top of the list, after food & water, particularly in cold climates.

I also think you should have a week's worth of water, not 3 days. You can live about 3 weeks without food, 3 days without water, 3 hours without heat, 3 minutes without air, and 3 seconds without thinking. Under their advice, more than 6 days without rescue, and you're dead from thirst. How long did it take to rescue the last of Katrina's victims? I don't recall actually.... Of course, they had 'water, water everywhere', but it might not always be like that in other disaster types.

[end of email]

Feel free to copy verbatim or make any changes you may wish! :)

[happygeek]

"I also think you should have a week's worth of water, not 3 days. You can live about 3 weeks without food, 3 days without water, 3 hours without heat, 3 minutes without air, and 3 seconds without thinking."

Some live their whole lives without thinking ...

A generator with enough fuel is a good thing to have. There's a bit to know about how many KW your generator is and how many watts everything you plug in is. Then there's those surge watts that can get you (some things like ACs can kill a generator with the surge watts). You'll gain newfound appreciation for the electricity most take for granted if you spend a few months running off generators.

But back on topic, it's the government, what do you expect? What government agency is going to tell citizens they should arm themselves, especially an agency headed by an Obama appointee?

By the way, I remember one of the Tom Clancy books I read having coordinated terrorist attacks on multiple malls across the states. His book Debt of Honor written sometime in the late 90s ended with someone crashing a cargo plane into the Capital building during the State of the Union speech. My point being is that Clancy presents some plausible scenarios in his books.

[eJack]

As much as I wish that the general public were wise, responsible gun owners, they're not (often missing at least two from the list). It may be wise for YOU to carry a gun if YOU are capable of using it judiciously. but when it comes to the general public in disasters, even the people who do pack emergency supplies are often clueless about using them. Being too stupid to know how to use a key chain can opener can be inconvienient. The same lack of familiarity with a gun would be dangerous. I have inexpensive backup guns and HP ammo for my emergency supplies and nobody from the government had to tell me to. They also didn't have to tell me that a pack of band aids and a gauze roll isn't an adequate first aid kit, or that 3 days of water is start but 3 weeks is better.

For the general public who's emergency planning IQ rivals that of a sign post, the government list are just fine if not overkill. Anybody who cares about emergency survival goes beyond the government lists all on their own.

[sltintexas]

if just 25% of the people had half the stuff on the list ready and dedicated for an emergency we'd be light years ahead of where we are now in preparedness.

....and the government is never going to suggest everyone purchase a firearm.....

[ArfinGreebly]

On the one hand, I agree that a firearm is an important emergency item.

On the other hand, the "rant" nature of the email assures it will be ignored by a significant cross-section of its readers.

The problem with the ready.gov list is not so much that it leaves out firearms, but that it leaves out all manner of things, of which firearms is only one.

If I were to send out a similar letter to those "on my list," it would be a dispassionate discussion of the basic necessities, with a link to the government's suggestions, a mention of a few (obvious) things they've left out, and a link to one or more places having considerably more complete lists.

There are lots of such lists out there. I would make sure to link to lists that included one or more firearms.

I would make a passing mention in the letter to the glaring omission of such essentials as a Boy Scout knife, signaling mirror, parachute cord, and so on . . . like "why a map, but no compass?" . . . and "where are the candles?" . . . etc., and then indicate that safety includes personal security, so a gun of some kind just makes sense.

If the primary theme is "stupid government" or the only extra gear you recommend is the gun, you'll lose a fair chunk of your audience.

Yes, a gun makes sense.

But in this context, it should just be "another sensible piece of gear" that the government has overlooked.

[Old Fuff]

Whistle to signal for help

Obviously you don't need a gun... :scrutiny: ;)

[Balrog]

I am not sure a gun is a smart thing for the government to include on the list. Remember, they are making this list for the dumbest of the dumb. People who have no idea how to prepare for an emergency, who have no skills or survival mindset, and for the most part are alive only because they are being supported by others.

They are preparing this list for all the people who were too stupid or lazy or incompetent to prepare; this list is for the type of people who ended up in the Superdome during Katrina.

Look at the list. They recommend food, water, and a flashlight. Come on. If you are too dumb to know that you will need food, water, and a flashlight during an emergency, how can you possibly expect these people to be competent in the use of a firearm? To recommend that they carry a firearm is reckless. They would probably have no idea which end to point at the bad guy.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Arfin, I might agree with the subtler approach if the list purported to be ONLY a natural disaster aftermath survival list. It's not. It's that, AND the list of surviving a terrorist attack (as mentioned).

The gun is a glaring omission (as I mentioned) here in this country where firearms are allowed, in the case of a Mumbai like attack, which HAS happened (as I mentioned) and WILL happen again - just a matter of time. It's just patently obvious to anyone that guns could have gone a long ways to stop the Mumbai attacks. Or at least it should be obvious that a gun is 1000% more useful than ANYTHING else on their list, bar none, in the case of a Mumbai like attack. It was over in a matter of hours, and food/water/signaling mirror/yada yada was not really needed.

But yes, by all means, make those changes you suggest and send it out to your friends list! You are a more subtle person than me, and so that approach will work well for you with your friends, I'm sure.

I would

and I hope you do, because my imperfect one, sent out, is gonna help a lot more than your better one if not sent! But overall, good suggestions; thank you! :p

[Old Fuff]

Obviously the list was put together by some well-meaning bureaucrats who didn’t have a clue about how things might work in the real world. Somehow, they presume, the police and military will still be in control, and people will be as safe as they would be in New York City’s Central Park at midnight. :scrutiny: :uhoh: :rolleyes:

Of course they don’t recommend privately owned firearms. It is probable that in the urban environments where they work and live, private ownership of firearms isn’t encouraged, and may even be forbidden.

In formulating any kind of an emergency survival plan about the last place I’d seek advise would be from the government. :banghead:

[markfh]

Zombies don't need guns. :evil: