I recently purchased my first box of space bags - original brand - and noticed the word "Waterproof" on the box. Well, it is probably asking too much for them to be totally waterproof, but they would be some help. I do know the big bags will hold a printer, a computer, laptop, scanner, or a whole lot of long cables. Faced with a situation like we had here in Houston with Rita bearing down on us, not knowing she would turn at the last minite, I would have been under a lot less stress had I had some of these bags. In that situation, a window blowing out or a major roof failure would be enough to take out a lot of electronic equipment. I would probably not trust just one bag...I think anyone's computer is worth a double bag, but they are very expensive. In a situation like Katrina, I doubt anyone would expect to see a computer survive if it had been sitting in water for any length of time. Water has a way of finding a way in. My best idea so far to have a quick and easy way to put things away if a storm is coming is the plastic trash cans with lids, preferably with 2" lips. I will put a liner in the trash can, put in the stuff, put on the lid, then cover the entire can with another trash liner, then wrap duct tape around the middle of the can just to help hold the liner that is covering it. Best part--I then can roll it into whatever room I need to, whatever closet I need to. After the storm, I can roll the trash can into the room the stuff goes in and unload it.

I know some will think this is a bit drastic but each person's fear level is different. I'm terrified of these things--way past a healthy respect. I've now been in three (and worked civic defense during Alicia in 1982) and it is difficult to know ahead of time just how much damage the wind will do. Not far from my home a huge oak tree was uprooted during Rita and fell over on a house. This oak had been there for years and just crushed the end of the house. And we were just on the skirts of Rita...barely hurricane force winds if that.

It's hard for anyone to understand if they haven't watched a weather condition coming at them--hurricane, tornado, water - either rushing or rising, earthquake, whatever--and knowing there is not a thing you can do about it--you are out of time and you better be ready. So scan your family photos and photos of your possessions for insurance claims, put up everything you have the time, money, and energy to protect, and follow the storm on the radio or TV for instructions on how to take care of yourself.

Hey Darlene!

I use the bags that are made for kayakers & white water rafting called "dry bags". They have a zip lock type closure and then you roll it over and snap it. I first started using them for wet scuba diving equipment in the car, but I have a few extra for just what you're talking about. Now, if you want the ultimate in protection and dryness, get a pelican box! Those things are military grade and can withstand a lot of force from impact.

Drybags: http://seallinegear.com/

Pelican: http://pelican.com/case_category.php?CaseSize=%&New=%

Pelican Bags - now I won't get anything done because I'll be over there checking out those bags and the sizes and colors and styles. So people carry whatever they need to survive in those suitcases, I guess. Those are the ones in the movies when disaster is everywhere and someone opens the suitcase and pulls out the phone, the gun, or whatever he needs? I knew they would be good when I saw the word "O-ring"...a whole lot better than the zip lock seal. Now I'll check out the Drybags.

Before Rita, our Mayor (actually, Houston's mayor) went on TV and bragged that Houston would not make the same mistakes as New Orleans if Rita came because we were ready for the evacuttion...it was a major relief to many here to know we had a workable evacuation plan. Unfortunately, it was a nightmare...cars out of gas and broken down, no promised gas along the route, people out of water and food, even had a fire on a senior citizen evacuation bus and almost everyone died. Those people were stuck on that freeway for two days...then Houston would not let them come back into certain areas...I can understand that but we would think that would have ruined some political careers. We made our own Katrina just because of the arragance of our elected officials. The people were not prepared financially, emotionally, or any other way for the problems that storm caused, and it never even hit us...it was more like it skirted us.

As long as we are looking at survival gear - I found this small drum that you put a few clothes in - maybe 3 pieces - and fill with water and just a very small amount of soap, then crank it around like an ice cream container, then drain it and refill it again to rinse a few times. Looked pretty easy to operate and the seal was similar to a butter bowl. Very elementary but if you had water, you could wash clothes in an emergency. I guess after the last rinse, you would keep cranking to get as much water out as possible, so you could call that a spin rinse. Anyway, $50 to fix what could be a major problem. Would not have helped with Katrina, since they had no fresh water, but would help if you are living in your station wagon after your roof blows off the house.

Thanks for the hints on those great bags. Without our office equipment, we are pretty much out of the real estate business--at least temporarily...as I was a few days back when my computer went down. Norton got me back up, but nothing can get a computer back up if it gets water.

Hey Darlene..

Buy the clothes washer and then drink the left over waste water! This thing filters out almost everything! They last for a year & are cheap too!!! I have 4 of them just in case.

http://www.lifestraw.com/en/high/maincont2.asp

Something like that might really make people very uneasy just thinking about it...until they are in a desperate situation. Living among the chemical plants and on the Gulf Coast - we always have that survival instinct in the backs of our minds.

It looks so simple...but think how much better off those kids are to have those things. Had no clue anything like that existed. They probably wanted to have their picture taken using them. I'm going to read up on them tomorrow.

I have MCS, one of the environmental illnesses, specifically VOC's and any fragranced products. I wouldn't go in a shelter unless I knew it was a life-death situation. I would just have to stand outside and hope a piece of sheet metal didn't have my name on it. LOL. After 15 years of adjusting to it, it is now just a minor inconvenience because I practically live outside, which isn't that much better, I suppose. But when I saw all those people on those evacuation buses and stuffed in those shelters...Yikes, I knew that would be major trouble if I were in that situation. Anyway, point is...that is what put me onto the survival thing so strongly. Given the choice of NO WATER or the lifestraw...I am pretty sure I would be using the straw, drinking what was available and being happy to have them.

Those are a great idea. As my father used to say, "Thanks - What else ya got?"

Here's a space bag update. When you pull the air out of the bags with a vac, the bags and contents wrinkle up like a prune. The pictures on the box show the bag laying flat, but that is hard to do. I tried to hold the corners while I used the vac but that didn't work, so now I am going to get some thin plywood and put on top of the bag, then hold it down to see if the bags stay a little flatter while I use the vac. The contents do take up a lot less space when in the bag, but when you put the bags in a storage container, it is like filling the container with a bunch of basketballs with half the air out of them. The air pockets cancel out the air removed from the bags...so you are able to get inside the container only the same amount of stuff that came from the container originally. If you are going to stack the bags on a shelf in the closet, no problem. But to put the bags in a container--disappointing. I can't use a rolling pin to remove the air because most of my bags are bigger than a rolling pin. I may try the wooded pole in my closet that will fit all the way across them. Maybe it is a practice-makes-perfect thing. At any rate, electronics in space bags--I'm standing by that idea...you won't be stacking your printer on top of your computer, and then on top of your scanner. So the bags may be great for our office stuff if we do have another storm somewhere.