Curious: How many have used or plan the use of their bus for emergencies?

Paladin · August 26, 2011, 10:20:22 AM

This Irene stuff has me wondering. How many have used their bus for emergency use in a natural disaster as shelter instead of a hotel etc? How many have bought or built their bus with that as a secondary use in the back of their minds in case of disaster such as hurricane etc?

I seem to recall reading some time ago on another hurricane, maybe Katrina someone or several heading out in their buses to escape. I think someone was saying they were grateful to have their bus since the hotels were all filled or something? Their own bed, tv to get news etc.....

My neighbor was telling me that I'm lucky that I have my bus in that if we were struck in some way I'd have a nice place to be where they have nothing but maybe a small tent and no family in the area. I know with two dogs and a bird we'd have trouble finding a place to take us in.

lostagain · August 26, 2011, 10:30:27 AM

My bus is always ready to go. Well, unless it is half apart to fix something, like this morning with a rad off. In our area, forest fires are the most likely thing leading to an evacuation.

JC

Busted Knuckle · August 26, 2011, 10:36:51 AM

Dave I use our buses for emergencies. But in a little different way than you were thinking.

We are on a list of "emergency responders" and get calls to provide buses for evacuations, command centers, or just temp controlled "shelters" for many types of emergencies.

We've provided relocation services to evacuees. Provided a heated place to sit out of the freezing weather to divers and other rescue personnel looking for victims of an overturned boat in January. Air conditioning and a place to sit, eat & sleep to fire fighters fighting wild fires. Mobile command post to authorities during a hostage stand off situation and several other things like an air conditioned place to sit during the county fair during extreme heat conditions.

Our buses are still seated, but when your hot/frozen tired and hungry a place to sit/nap/eat ain't gotta be fancy!

BK

wal1809 · August 26, 2011, 10:40:12 AM

I would imagine we have all thought about it. If the power goes out we can just fire up the gen. All comforts of home are a toggle switch away

Lee Bradley · August 26, 2011, 11:48:35 AM

Being in the land of earthquakes and volcanoes, having the bus as a mobile emergency shelter was one more selling point for the better half.

Paladin · August 26, 2011, 12:39:46 PM

Bryce, that's very cool that you offer those services and you're right, I hadn't really thought of that side of it. Many uses for our buses!

Quote from: Busted Knuckle on August 26, 2011, 10:36:51 AM
Dave I use our buses for emergencies. But in a little different way than you were thinking.

zimtok · August 26, 2011, 12:54:42 PM

It is always in the back of my mind as storms go through that the bus is an alternative for power-heat-air...

I have already used it to power a couple gigs where a storm had knocked out the power but we still put on a show. I even have a special built power cable for this type of situation. I made sure it has the 2 hots-1 neutral-1 ground, the ground can also be connected to a ground stake or building ground if I'm not where a stake can be pounded into the ground directly.

And we always have an open invitation to those performers at benefit gigs so they have a place to get away-change clothes-relax when they are not on stage.

When It is at my house the neighbors are welcome to take advantage of it also.

.

RnMAdventures · August 26, 2011, 01:23:46 PM

That is one of the reasons we are getting ours. We got trapped in 2008 after a hurrican. No power for weeks, area food was scarce, and we were not prepared. I would like to install another 140 gal fuel tank and double the fresh water capacity. Wth 240 gals of fuel we can hit either coast in less than 24 hours with no fuel stops. It may sound wierd... But it would give me a warm fuzzy feeling. Read the book, "One Second After"... I dont think EMP will damage an older conversion either.

robertglines1 · August 26, 2011, 01:31:56 PM

standard part of our back up plan in tornado alley SW Ind. Also a area for winter Ice storms. Bob

roadrunnertex · August 26, 2011, 02:36:01 PM

Just this week we had a severe thunderstorm with heavy rain and wind lost power to the house.
Cranked the diesel generator on the old Buffalo and we had power for the 2 refrigerators and deep freeze and moved into the bus A/C and microwave if we needed it.
Power was out for 12 hours.
It's nice to have a backup plan.
jlv

CindyandJohn · August 26, 2011, 05:33:46 PM

Our Bus is storm ready! Haven't used it much lately but it is absolutely in our emergency plan.

I took it for a short ride, made sure the genny is ready, fridge is on, tanks are empty, fresh tank is full. Genny will run for 6 - 7 days on a 1/4 tank of diesel running 24/7 or I can use an on off schedule and stretch it for weeks if need be. Full case of Guinness in the fridge - so bring it on Irene. Power out for a week - means I might need another case of beer! Now for the darn chain saw... well that one doesn't want to start - a little more work for tomorrow.

Stay Safe, Stay Dry, Be Smart, and take it all in stride.

John and Cindy

K234039 · August 26, 2011, 07:12:12 PM

Was up north for the summer the year Ike hit. Took the ridge cap off my house so spent winter in the bus & am still fulltiming in it 3 years later.

Richard

Busted Knuckle · August 26, 2011, 07:30:24 PM

Quote from: CindyandJohn
Full case of Guinness in the fridge - so bring it on Irene. Power out for a week - means I might need another case of beer!
Stay Safe, Stay Dry, Be Smart, and take it all in stride.

John and Cindy

John and Cindy
Funny you put it that way! During the Katrina aftermath FEMA took over a truck stop just west of New Orleans @ LaPlace and used it for a bus staging holding lot it had a Huddle House built into it also.
Funny thing is the Huddle House had to keep shutting down because they were running out of supplies and the employees were working 48-72 hrs straight until they'd shut down again for more groceries.
And the store in the truck stop kept running out of water, soft drinks, any kind of food but the beer cave stayed filled and there were several beer trucks in & out on a daily basis for the two weeks I literally lived out of my bus in the parking lot there. (they did open the showers & laundry to us bus drivers for free ~ we just had to help keep the towels and wash clothes done for them so we'd have them to use.)

But I thought it was ironic or even moronic that you have a lot full of bus drivers and the only thing that stays consistently stocked was the beer!

BK

Dave Siegel · August 27, 2011, 05:03:53 AM

Your bus can be a wonderful shelter in a storm. Like others have said, you have water, electricity, food, comfort and your own bed. If you have a crank up antenna you have all the local stations. But like Busted Knuckle said there are other uses.

When Hurricane Charlie ripped through Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte here in south west Florida, I loaded our bus with several hundred cases of water bottles and ice, and a supply company donated hundreds of new small towels. We drove right into Punta Gorda downtown where the volunteers were digging out survivors where we passed out free water and towels to the workers that passed by. We also supplied the bus as a cool place for the police and firefighters to come in and rest and use a bathroom. Their looks of appreciation on their faces was more than compensation for our efforts, that was a week I'll never forget.

Dave

belfert · August 27, 2011, 07:32:54 AM

My bus always has a full or nearly full tank of diesel so it could be used as an emergency shelter I suppose. I don't keep water in it due to winter and the fact it doesn't get used that often.

If a storm damaged the house there is a good chance I would lose the bus too.