Could a category 5 hurricane hit New York City? Most likely not. Hurricanes usually form in the deep tropics over a large area of very hot water. The closest body of water to New York City is the Gulf Stream, which is not large enough for a category 5 hurricane to form in it. However, in the event an urban disaster did hit New York City, or some other large city, there are several things that can be done to survive. This article will provide details on how to stay alive, as well as the different things needed to survive after the disaster.
When preparing for a disaster, listen to the radio or TV. Close storm shutters and bring outdoor objects inside. If you’re told by authorities to turn off utilities, be sure to do it. Otherwise set your refrigerator’s thermostat as low as possible and keep the refrigerator door shut. Be sure all vehicles are secure. If you have a bathtub, fill it up to the top with water so you’ll have enough water to clean and flush toilets.
After the disaster, if your house or apartment is too damaged to live in, you’ll need to seek shelter elsewhere or create your own shelter. The best place to seek shelter is in a building that was not severely damaged by the disaster. However, in the event that all buildings had extensive damage done to them, you would need to make your own shelter. To do this, you need rope and plastic sheeting. The rope would need to be about 25-50 feet, and the plastic sheeting would need to be 64 square feet, or an 8×8 piece.
If the power was out for several days in New York City or another large city, the water would quit running soon after. Unless you have a large supply of bottled water on hand, you’ll need to purify your own water. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a water purification system, the easiest way to purify water is with water straws, a water filter used for camping or hiking, and water purification tablets, which are used to kill bacteria.
Unless you’re lucky enough to have a camping stove, the easiest (albeit not the most nutritious) type of nonperishable food thing is the candy bar. They are cheap, contain lots of energy, and you can survive on candy bars long enough to walk across the country. Just make sure you see a dentist when you get there!
You’ll also need a way to communicate. Things to include in your survival kit for communication purposes are a high-quality flashlight, a signal mirror, a whistle, and a small radio.
Other miscellaneous items that should be included are items that will help you make fire to keep yourself warm or boil water – these items include flint and steel, matches, and a lighter. You should also have a pocketknife as well as a tool that can be used for multiple purposes. And, if you have a camping stove, that can be used to make other foods so you can eat more than just candy bars to survive. In addition, be sure to have a first aid kit to treat any wounds, as well as a means of defending yourself, such as a gun.
If you have all these items in your survival kit, the chances of surviving an urban disaster are much better. For this reason, be sure not to “borrow” from your disaster survival kit. Also, remember to practice using the items in your survival kit (such as the gun!), if you don’t already know how to use them. In the event of an urban disaster, you need to be prepared, not fumbling around trying to figure out how to use the items in your survival kit.