77F and wet. Probably.
Boy did we get some rain yesterday. And I got stuck at the kids’ school, where I was able to help out, and everything worked out ok, but…
Turns out there are some holes in my vehicular preps, and in aspects of my current habits and lifestyle. NB-I don’t typically carry a BOB or GHB or any other specific bag in my truck. I’ve got a couple of totes in the back with extra stuff, and my EDC. I thought that was pretty good, and it is.
I usually have some additional supplements like energy bars tucked away, but I ate them. Day before yesterday and I didn’t replace them. I usually refill my gas tank whenever there is a storm coming, and whenever it gets low. I didn’t notice the level on Wednesday, and it beeped at me on the way to school- 50 miles to empty. No problem, I’ll fill up on the way home. Except what if I get stuck in the water on the way and need to wait out the flooding? Not enough gas to do that. My friend took 3 hours to get home with his kids. I certainly didn’t have 3 hours worth of gas, to go less than 5 miles.
I have shirts, sweatshirts, pullover windbreakers, and long pants in the truck. I’ve got hat and mittens when it’s cold. I’ve got yellow plastic rain gear, ponchos, and even a set of FroggToggs. No socks. No dry shoes. That’s a big oversight.
I don’t carry my ‘daddy bag’ anymore, so I don’t have a change of clothes for the kids. It’s been a long time since one had an ‘accident’.
A couple of days ago, I had a case of Mountain House in the truck. Yesterday I had only two expired MREs (the date doesn’t bother me) and USCG approved lifeboat survival bars. Plenty of water, soda, and cans of flavored water… and I’d even added instant iced tea to put in the plain water. I did so and drank that during the afternoon. Had we been stranded at school overnight (and we have school friends in walking distance, so that was EXTREMELY unlikely) the kids and I would have eaten MREs in the truck while everyone else dined on microwave popcorn. I did share a big Costco bag of candy that I was taking to my gunstore buddy. Daughter used it to earn points with her friends.
The biggest problem is that there are only two real driveable ways into the school’s neighborhood, and BOTH are subject to flooding. If we were desperate, I would have taken the chance on the deeper intersection. I could see vehicles making it through and had a good idea of depth, but I also couldn’t get good info about the next step in my route. I retreated to safety and comfort, deciding that the unknown and risk was not worth it to sit at home for the afternoon.
The situation might have been different if I was trying to GET to school and pick them up in an emergency. This was not an emergency. No one should have wrecked a car in an attempt to pick up the kids from a fully functional school, in the middle of the day.
It’s amazing the speed and reckless regard with which some people entered the high water. They didn’t even wait to see how the guy in front of them made out. Some pulled out around me, while I was watching the other guy go, and sped on ahead. No way could they have seen the other guys success or failure before entering. Dumb doesn’t even begin to cover it.
This being Houston, one of the items in my tote is a professional personal flotation device, designed for people who work on the water. It will auto inflate, but most of the time stays out of your way. It’s the first item in the tote. If there ever came a day when I felt compelled to enter high water, I can at least gear up first. I have a short rescue rope on top too.
My Expy is currently full of cr@p to the point I couldn’t have taken 2 extra kids with me, only one. I’ve got a lot of auction stuff piled in the back and on the back seat. That stuff needs to get out of my truck.
I need to add some Mountain House, durable snacks, and kid clothes to the tote. I need to move a pair of sturdy shoes and a good pair of socks to the tote. I may even set up a 3 gallon bucket as a toilet for the truck, and leave it in there. (the 5 gallon with the seat only goes with us when I think or know we’ll want it. Like 4 hours in a parking lot, watching fireworks, It’s too big to live in my truck 24/7.)
The kids have grown, and I haven’t changed my truck pack much.
Meanwhile, my wife was stuck at her work. I reminded her that there were at least a couple of powerbars in the ‘resource kit’ in her minivan. She decided to stay at work, where they had food, light, AC, and work to do, rather than move through flooded streets. Maybe I’ll be able to stash a bit more in her vehicle, ‘for the children’ now. (FWIW, the thing we’ve used most often from her kit is fire starter and matches.) She waited for clear streets and drove home without incident.
We’re supposed to get more rain. I hope not, but I guess we’ll see. This was a good opportunity to find holes in my preps without any resulting drama…and I’m going to use the gift to get better.
nick