What to do in the event of a terrorist attack...

I was on my way to work this a.m. and on the radio an announcement from the Department of Homeland Security came on. It was all about "how to prepare your children for a terrorist attack."

Among the advice was good solid stuff like, have a plan to notify and reach each other in the event phone service is interrupted, have an emergency supply of items like fresh water, food and the like, and have people around to look after your kids in the event you are missing or cannot be located.

Okay, well and good. Except I live in Lubbock, Texas, on the middle of what they call the "Caprock", a flat and open plain about twelve hours from the nearest coastline and three hundred miles from the nearest city (Dallas/Ft. Worth). It is all farmland, with an independent power grid and local water and food etc.

If a terrorist targets anyone, the last place they'll be hitting is Lubbock, Friggin Texas. On the other hand, the whole state is fairly red, and Lubbock is the reddest part.

It strikes me that this is just the latest in a series of homeland security announcements, like the dirty bomb scare, the laser jet pilot scare and the smallpox scare, and the idea is not to protect anyone. The idea is to keep the party faithful in line through a combination of FEAR and 'see how we're protecting you?"

I mean, do you DUers out there in California and New York and Chicago get this stuff? Or is it just here in reichwing land that we have to listen to this agitprop?

but i've been listening to public radio -- it wouldn't surprise me if this PSA were delivered to targeted radio stations.

what station was it? was it commercial hit? talk radio?

and the Ready Campaign PSAs fill the time while feeding the RW whacko fear fetish.

they get extra points to broadcasting this stuff b/c their audience will then see the station as being patriotic.

Same paranoid crap I was hearing this morning.

To control the people you've got to make them afraid, right?

I live about 5 miles from a nuclear power plant that would be easy pickins, terror wise, and haven't heard a peep. Of course, I'm independently paranoid. Ever since 9/11 I've positioned the cat carriers near the back door in case we have to make a hasty retreat.

i totally hear you

I work 200 feet from Ground Zero and about 150 feet from the NYSE and I've never heard this radio announcement.

I don't hear terrorist attack stuff except when they up the color code thingymajob thing. Everyone should be ready for natural emergencies, let the "terra terra terra" bs take care of itself.
Edited for location of Washington state (why do we always have to add "state"? rhetorical question)

They do have the TIPS hotline on highway lightboards, though.

:eyes:

If a terrorist targets anyone, the last place they'll be hitting is Lubbock, Friggin Texas. On the other hand, the whole state is fairly red, and Lubbock is the reddest part.

If terrorists ever do launch a significant attack agains the USA again the political attitudes of their chosen victims won't be a consideration in target selection. They already attacked one of the bluest places in the country - New York City.

That said, if they stop in Lubbock it will only be to ask for directions. :D

When I was stuck at the farm during the ice storm I only had a few regular TV stations that I could tune in and I saw the ad several times. Yep, I am just certain that Topeka, Kansas is big on their list. I can't even imagine that KC would figure into a terrorists plans. The suggestions were no more than what one should have on hand anyway here in Tornadoville. Just scarin the folks so they don't ferget who is takin care of them and their interests.

But it does seem that we have had way too many of those emergency broadcast system alerts lately. The ad mentioned could be on the radio though. We have a bunch of right wing stations here. Of course, since I got a satellite radio, I don't listen to any of the local stations anymore. :)

by the loss of Mike Murphy. I listened to his show most every day while cleaning my barn (he amused me), now it is Tony Snow (big surprise, not!). I saw it on a Topeka station and I have also noticed a large increase on the emergency broadcast alerts. I am jealous, I want satellite radio too but am waiting while trying to find the best way to make it work in my barn for me and also in my truck. There is nothing but RW stuff around here.

I like him too.

Most of the AM stations here are sports talk now. They have definitely gone overboard on sports radio in KC. And they still have way too many RW stations. When I first heard about Air America, I emailed or called most of the AM stations in town to ask if they would carry it. Most had no idea what I was talking about and one guy laughed and said "NEVER".

I love my satellite radio. I have a receiver in my car that I can take out and bring inside. It hooks into a boombox. That is the least expensive way to listen in your car and in your house. You can also buy two radios, but then you have to buy two subscriptions.

retired :cry:. I first heard him when my college aged kids were in grade school and I listened in my car every morning then at the farm. I really miss him.

What you have sounds like just what I need. So you can listen in the house with a boombox? My husband said I would not be able to without an antenna that was outside. This is awesome news, I get so tired of the public radio that plays the same old music over and over. Sometimes it is great but others....

that house one radio. So I only have to pay for one subscription. The boombox in the house has an antenna on it and then there is a different antenna on my car.

It is awesome. Each unit was around $100. The monthly subscription is $13. Got both units at Circuit City.

I was mildy annoyed the first time I heard the same announcement on the radio recently. The information is identical to that for earthquake or other disaster published in the front of the telephone book. They spread paranoia by saying the preparedness is for terrorist attack not for all emergencies.

One thing that is rarely mentioned in emergency preparedness information is to have large plastic bags on hand. They can be used to store waste until it can be removed such as for a toilet or body bags.

If such an atrocity were to occur on U.S. soil it would lead to limited resources. Eventually there would be people fighting over them. Self-defense is something that the right wing is much more experienced with than the left. If we're take preparedness seriously we should take advantage of the 2nd ammendment. Otherwise our new national spokespeople will be survivalists.

The best defense rifle you can buy here would be an M1 Garand or M1A. A 12-gauge pump shotgun is a good choice too.

As for me, I always keep a Ruger 10/22 and a Smith & Wesson .38 on hand.

OK, ya got the weapons, but could you plan and execute? How do you practice something like that?

For earthquake preparation I periodically go through my stuff to make sure the consumables are good and the hardware is in working order. I have a lot of experience at primitive camping and backpacking, so other than the possibility of a firefighting situation there's not a whole lot for me to plan.

I carry drinking water, daily medication, a small amount of food, and good walking shoes everywhere I go.

I don't know if good walking shoes are going to help you plan a tactical attack. I think it's a shame there's no way to receive that kind of training except joining the military.

I'm not concerned either, but I think it's a good idea to think about this stuff, so we're not caught unaware. Maybe I play too many video games. Speaking of defense and video games, check this out and let me know what you think:

http://gamesdomain.yahoo.com/pc/act_of_war_direct_action/preview/59356

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

:) :toast: :)

They have to keep finding 'threats' to justify their jobs. No terrorist threat, no need for people to be paid 100k a year to protect you from it. And the REAL kicker is if there is another attack they will tell you that we need more of the same instead of fixing the problems.

Case in point. Imagine that all this airport security was in place on Sep 10 2001 and that the US Army was posted at every airport with a Tank on the runways. The attacks of Sep 11th would have still happened because everything that the hijackers did to gain access to the planes was LEGAL. They had tickets and went through checkpoints and one of them was even searched according to one report. Turning us into parinoid freeks will not do anything to make us safer. We need a sound forign policy and a president who will work with the world not tell them that they are next on the invasion list.

Breathe deeply n/t

they are saying that in case of attack--bend over, put head between legs and kiss your ass goodbye.

The state has been running commercials here about emergency preparedness in the event of a terrorist attack or other disaster--- like an earthquake, tanker-car spill, etc. .

I am not sure about that. But, something else is certainly going to happen here for sure. Whether it is a setup by our government or not, it is going to happen again and I am sure of that.
We need to look for the bad guys, yes.
We also need to take precautions for survival.
Since I live in NYC, I'm sure I probably cannot protect myself or my family in the event of the inevitable. I only hope it will come later...much later.

I no longer watch MSM, nor do I read the local paper. The Internet provides me with many varied news sources without the fear factor.