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Emergency Kits, Lockdown and Los Angeles

Last week 9,000 students at LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District) were kept at school until after 5pm. A LAUSD police officer had been shot, and the shooter had not been apprehended. There is a lockdown protocol in place, and students in nearby schools were kept in their classrooms. Neighborhoods were shut down and parents worried about their children.

That is what we do. We worry for the safety of our children. Nothing could be more normal.

This was an extraordinary event. A much more common emergency (around here) would be an earthquake. During college I remember hearing about tornado warnings, but I had no idea what part of the state I was actually living in so I worried a little less than a smarter girl would have.

I have a dozen earthquake kits scattered around the house and one in each car. They have blankets, first aid kits, water purification tablets, MRE’s and manual flashlights in them. I also keep cash in the house (but I’m weird about it so you’ll have to see the video to see just how weird) as well as a gun. I figure if the LAPD is on tactical alert I’m the only one who will take care of my family (well, Mr G will once he’s home) so our Lady Wesson isn’t for everyday but she’s part of the kit. I keep tons of bottled water as well as canned food, and I never let my prescriptions run out. I think being a refugee’s kid makes me a little over-prepared.

I’m very bad about keeping gas in my car. I know you’re supposed to do that.

My questions for you are twofold, what is your emergency and what goes into your emergency kits?

Also, watch the video for a really important tip on how to plan.

11 thoughts on “Emergency Kits, Lockdown and Los Angeles”

  1. I think a gun in LA is an excellent addition to an emergency plan. We had an incident many years ago and LAPD informed us that they would not come to the house to help us as they had many more serious incidents ahead of ours. We purchased a gun, took a class, practice at the range and can take care of our own home emergencies. Though before resorting to self help I would first contact the police for assistance. And yes, the guns are locked up in a safe. We can access them but it would truly take a miracle for the kids to open the safe.

    1. …Would it also stand to reason then, it would take a miracle for YOU to open the safe in an “emergency”. I wouldn’t consider an earthquake the kind of emergency that needs a gun…I would think a home invasion sounds more gun-like. But then…those often happen in moments and you only discover it while it’s in progress. Moving around the house to get to a safe seems like a not so smart idea. It’s great that you’ve been educated & trained on weapon handling…

  2. I was at Vermont and 6th when the riots hit. I drove through part of them to go home. Went through the Northridge earthquake too. I maintain the landline because it is proven technology that works during emergencies, I know because I have seen it work.

    I have a few transistor radios that I keep around just so that I have access to radio reports. Beyond that I have the standard earthquake kits around the house and cars.

  3. Sneakers, socks & a flashlight in a box right by the bed – in case of an earthquake. I’ve heard a tip to tie the shoes around your mattress frame so you can find them in the chaos.

    Emergency & first aid kits upstairs, in the garage and in the car. Costco has some good ones (emergency) and KPCC was giving away kits (hand cranked radio, etc…) with membership pledges. Red Cross has some great supplies too.

    Keeping a landline and the landline phone charged.

    A set of clothes right by the bed.

    Gas in the tank – I can hear my Dad yelling at me from the “great beyond” whenever I let my tank go low!

    One thing to think about is your emergency plan for your pet(s).

    I know what I would do but if for some reason I HAD to leave pets at home, I would leave a note outside “DOG INSIDE” and I’d dump meat into the bathtub. My dog already eats a “prey model” diet and one of it’s many advantages is that it’s primarily water which means very little requirements for additional water.

      1. I agree, I will do almost anything to take my dog with me but when I look at the pictures of what happened in New Orleans I realized that I better have a back-up plan. I keep my freezer stocked with meat, just in case.

        Also, I just realized that I wrote that I keep my phones charged in case of an emergency but of course in most emergencies we probably won’t have power. One thing on my list to get is a old school phone that doesn’t need electricity.

        I do keep extra leashes, collars, harnesses, dog bed, treats and paperwork in my car for the dog too.

        1. I’m pretty sure I’ll shut up after this!!

          I also have and would recommend 2nd story ladders (the kind that can be thrown out a window or over a balcony) at every place I could exit on the 2nd story as well as fire extinguishers. I keep them hidden so anyone visiting would never know that they are right there.

          I’m cleaning and listening to the State of the Union and just moved some furniture and saw them and it reminded me!!

      2. Dog food & dog first aid kits – you can add to your first aid kit, or buy their own (Daisy has her own.) ALSO – a portable crate for junior and the cat (if you have to leave!) which you can use in the meantime to store their first aid supplies. Have extra leashes/harnesses – for the cat, too, and collars.)

    1. Oh em gee! That would be a pretty …interesting way to go to bed every night!!

      My mom was a single parent for most of our young years (4 kids, aged 6 to 10 months when dad took off). We lived in Florida…the state with over a hundred bridges. The year before I was born one of the biggest bridges was hit by a boat b/c it wasn’t aware of the bridge in the fog. B/c of the fog (and the fact that it was morning rush) cars didn’t even realize there was a gaping hole until they were tumbling end over end into the bay. SO…a little game we played every time my mom drove over a bridge was, “What do we do if we crash over the side & land in the WATER?” Maybe it was morbid, but our windows would go up, we’d use those few moments to unbuckle…mom grabbed my brothers, I grabbed the baby…and if we held our breath we’d bob right up to the surface. We had all been taught to swim before we were out of diapers.

  4. Did you hear the “shooting” was actually not one. The officer falsified the report, there was no suspect, and the whole debacle was for nothing. He’s been fired and now they’re trying to determine if he shot himself. Weird. My emergency kit sounds like yours, sans the gun.

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