Earthquake prep!

[RAsChickens]

So I live in Washington state, where we are supposed to have a major earthquake pretty soon. My boyfriend has a 4 wheel pickup with a canopy cover in the back that we would use to evacuate. I only have one pet carrier, that I would be using for my guinea pig. How can I transport my 5, fully grown, egg laying girls safely? We have some things we could use, including their old brooder that could sit in the back and also a collection of cardboard boxes. NOTHING INHUMANE. They are my pets!

 

[azygous]

Do you plan on evacuating before the earthquake or afterward? How long have you lived in earthquake country?

 

[RAsChickens]

Do you plan on evacuating before the earthquake or afterward? How long have you lived in earthquake country?

I have lived here in earthquake county my whole life. The last earthquake I was in was the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, when I was just 11. I am now 27. We are going to evacuate a few hours before the earthquake and go to my brothers house in Oregon.

 

[azygous]

So have I. I'm 75, grew up in California, and experienced half a dozen major quakes. I have never heard of earthquakes being able to be predicted, other than in a very general way according to measurements of fault movements. Even so, prediction can't pinpoint when an earthquake will actually take place.

I no longer live in California, but here I now face the prospect of wild fire. Like earthquakes, we know for certain they will happen, not when. Like earthquakes, we face evacuation choices. In making that choice, you need to decide whether it's more dangerous to leave your home and get caught up in the panic of others trying to leave or maybe it would be safer to shelter in place.

In case of earthquake, the common advice is to shelter in place and have provisions for yourself and your animals to be independent of outside help that may not arrive for days due to roads and infrastructure hampering rescue. If you give this more thought, you might see this would be a better plan than fleeing, either ahead of or after a quake.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I seriously doubt that anyone would be able to warn you a few hours before an earthquake happens. The scientific knowledge to make that happen just doesn't exist. The most likely ones to warn you will be animals who apparently can sense earthquakes a short while before they happen. But in that case it would be far better for you to be at home than on the road.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

LOL, before the earthquake? Its ALWAYS before an earthquake.

Gary

 

[lazy gardener]

Simply keep your kitchen stocked with foods that don't require cooking. (or plan to be able to use an independent fuel source (LP tank, wood fire). Keep plenty of water available, keep some extra chicken feed on hand. I would feel much safer in my own home than trying to navigate the roads of CA with everyone in panic mode. I'd rather live in a tent than deal with a population of folks in panic mode, all trying to get somewhere. If your home has a poor foundation, and is on pillars, jutting out over a ravine... that might be a different story!

 

[Chickassan]

You are better off staying put, people are crazy now and in a disaster scenario they are downright savage. Just stock up and be prepared. Even if they could predict a quake they wouldn't tell the public due to bottlenecking and panic. Just from personal experience you should have at least two carriers you never know when you are going to need one or two.

 

[RAsChickens]

Simply keep your kitchen stocked with foods that don't require cooking. (or plan to be able to use an independent fuel source (LP tank, wood fire). Keep plenty of water available, keep some extra chicken feed on hand. I would feel much safer in my own home than trying to navigate the roads of CA with everyone in panic mode. I'd rather live in a tent than deal with a population of folks in panic mode, all trying to get somewhere. If your home has a poor foundation, and is on pillars, jutting out over a ravine... that might be a different story!

We live on flat farmland!

 

[RAsChickens]

I think we'll stay in place here. Thanks ya'll. I really need more chicken feed, now would be the perfect time to get it!