Preparedness in Public Housing
No Different than Anywhere Else.
If you live in public housing and are worried about your safety in the event of an emergency, you are not alone. Many residents of public housing worry about what they will do if disaster strikes in New York City. I know, I lived in NYCHA housing and even served on the Residents Association, where preparedness was often a concern.
Most NYCHA Buildings are very sturdy, being built of cement floors and walls, these structures are a far cry from the sheetrock and aluminum framing of today’s apartment buildings. Meant to withstand a fire, these apartments offer unparalleled protection in the event of fire, hurricanes, tornadoes, and even earthquakes. While no building is disaster proof, NYCHA properties, especially those built during the heyday of public housing are of very robust construction.
Strong bones are but one facet of safety in a building. What else should you be concerned about? Exits. Most public housing buildings have numerous exits with staircases built of cement and metal framing, offering great protection during a seismic event. Many earthquake survivors have recanted stories about the durability of steel or iron clad staircases saving their lives. Of course, that’s on the lower floors, too high and the chances of survival decrease. Glad we got that out of the way.
So, what should you be thinking about if you live in public housing? The same thing everyone else is thinking about, having enough food, water, and provisions to take shelter in your home or to sustain you on your journey if you decide to bug-out (leave). If you are uncertain about your needs FEMA has a website where you can see what the most important items are for your survival. You can also watch YouTube videos, yes you can learn from them. There is a myriad of videos about everyday carry items (EDC), bug-out bags and sheltering in place.
The other thing you will need is training, nothing can take the place of experience. Knowing what and when to do things is critical to your safety and survival. What type of training, you ask? Start with first aid and CPR, then progress into the more traditional survival training such as water purification, food procurement, self-defense, and basic land navigation. Trust me, you will not regret any of this training. There are others, so do your homework and work with good instructors.
Ok, so sheltering in place will require you to have a good number of provisions, so focus on that in your initial efforts. Freeze dried foods are king, followed by canned foods and preserved foods, if you know how to do that sort of thing. The bottom line is to have enough food to carry you through the amount of time needed to restore power, restore order, or for the authorities to reach you. Aim for two weeks to six months as a measure. Water will be a lot more difficult, given that you could be cut off from it under various circumstances.
At a minimum, you should have at least 16 gallons of water in reserve for a family of four. Remember, that is only a four-day supply. Which means that at the first sign of trouble you should be procuring water by filling your bathtub, securing water from a safe source or filtering water as needed. Keep a good portable water filter on hand. The best course of action is to store as much water as you can, swapping it every four to six months. Do not simply discard old water, use it for your everyday needs. Being wasteful is not a good way to treat resources- be mindful of that when swapping canned goods as well.
Have a battle buddy or someone else in your building who shares your sense of preparedness. Push each other to be as prepared as possible and understand that in a SHTF situation you may need each other. Get some two-way radios and practice using them regularly. Keep some window draft kits available just in case you need to seal your windows. A small electric power generator will come in handy. Get one strong enough to power a small hot plate to cook food or heat water. Make sure you get the solar panels to keep it charged if you have no power. Cover your windows at night to avoid being identified as a resource by would be criminals. Lights and activity can attract attention. Better to keep a low profile.
Of course, there are a host of other preparations you can make to be prepared for anything. Among them are the provisions to leave your home, if needed. While leaving the relative safety of your apartment is not what you want, in some cases it may be your only option. A good bug out bag is essential. It should be stealthy and not attract unwanted attention. Keep in mind that you can’t carry everything, be wise in carrying only absolute essentials. Practice using your gear so you know what to do under stress. Study maps and have several ways to get out of the city. Remember, there could be events that make getting out of the city increasingly difficult. Have options when the need arises.
When you think the time has come to leave, do not hesitate. Let your battle buddy know you are leaving, if they are inclined you can leave together if the resources are there. Do not linger move about with purpose, go straight to where you need to be. If you know others that are moving out as well, go as a group but keep it small. To many folks will call attention you don’t need so if the group is large, break it up into small parts and move in the same direction but not at the same time. Use different routes and communicate through the use of radios to a rally point outside of the city. From there you can travel as group.
Recently, I was asked to speak to a group of NYCHA residents about emergency preparedness. During a three-month training session every single person shared their goals and concerns. Aside from the potential threats, the consensus was clear that today’s lawlessness in this city would be a concern in a SHTF situation. My advice was to consider that when deciding when to leave for greener pastures. Wait too long and you can get sucked into the events that will happen when desperation sets in. Don’t wait for that point to arrive, know when things are getting out of control and leave.
As always, keep your plans and provisions quiet, do not spill the beans to anyone but your trusted battle buddy. Discretion is the name of the game. There are those that believe that socio economic conditions limit your ability to be prepared. That is a myth, understanding your needs will allow you to tailor a plan to have whatever you need. Just be methodical in your approach and stick to your plan. Being 50% prepared is still better than not being prepared at all. Safe trails out there…