Possible chemical tank explosion in California

Posted by BeeSpecial4056@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 28 comments

https://www.latimes.com/california/live/garden-grove-gas-leak-live-evacuation-maps-closures-and-updates

So Orange County, California is at risk of a chemical tank explosion; 40,000 have evacuated. I dont think I’m prepped for this scenario… and there’s not a lot of info about what will happen beyond the evacuation zone.

How do I prep for this now? And what would u do or buy in case a toxic cloud blows your way? Or what else should I be thinking about or prepped for?

[-]

FormerNeighborhood80@reddit

The AP said that Disney Land was open. I honestly can’t imagine a parent taking their kids within a hundred miles of that mess.

[-]

CaliRefugeeinTN@reddit

Pretty sure they had an angels game a couple times, right down the street.

Used to live in so cal, you’d be shocked how often this happens. Back in the 90’s, a tanker spilled on the 91, 2 exits from mine. Freeway got shut down as I was coming home. Chp said freeway was unsafe due to chemical spill. But never told the people living all along the freeway.

[-]

FormerNeighborhood80@reddit

I have always thought of California as a state that is more safe with chemicals and things dangerous for the environment etc. this surprises me. It’s just as dangerous as other states.

[-]

CaliRefugeeinTN@reddit

lol when I was a kid, my grandfather worked for Texaco in Long Beach at the docks. He would tell me spills were constant. And the refinery near me? Regularly caught fire. We were a couple miles away and they never once evacuated anyone, even with flames of burning oil 50 feet tall.

[-]

_head_@reddit

Fair. But there are probably 20 million people living within 100 miles of this.

[-]

Upbeat_Document9885@reddit

A go bag? I would have a Uhaul. What in the world

[-]

TradeBeautiful42@reddit

OCFA has already said the explosion threat has passed. But it was alarming hearing some of the updates as I believe the toxic chemicals would have immediate health consequences.

[-]

Zealousideal_Fee_491@reddit

Good morning everyone, just a quick question for everyone, while I’m not prepping for the z-word apocalypse , not yet anyway, I was wondering about the chemical tank situation currently going on. There were evacuation orders placed and I know getting away from said danger is the priority, however aside from respirators and some eye protection, what would you do to prep for such an emergency? I mean a go bag, or get the heck out bag already prepped for evac is without a question assumed already done. But what or how are you preparing for a chemical exposure event? And what about resources for other chemicals? Do you have hazmat materials in your prep? Sds safety sheets/binders? Just seeking advice what would you do?

[-]

TheNewAmericanGospel@reddit

Niosh pocket guide, a pair of binoculars/monocular, and some way to determine wind direction and speed. You could i crude a respirator (with ky jelly and razor to shave without water or soap if need be, so your mask will properly seal on your face)

I worked in Hazmat, in a few different industries. Oil and gas mainly. H2s monitors are good items to carry if you can afford them.

A windsock is a deceptively simple and critical means of determining if the wind will bring hazards your way. So, thats probably the first most important thing to know if there is a chemical spill or gas release. Where is the wind blowing?

The pocket guide is good for identifying the hazard rating of chemicals assuming they are properly marked on the outside of the vehicle or container they are transported in. Some way to see long distance is very important, if you are to identify the hazard at a safe distance by reading the placards. (How reactive, flammable, carcinogenic, etc a substance is.) And use that information to coordinate corrective action with first responders etc. That is entirely up to you.

[-]

msreciprocity@reddit

Take your lease or other documents proving your residence in the evacuated area, often they won't let you back in without it right away.

[-]

nakedonmygoat@reddit

Why wouldn't a driver's license or other photo ID with your address on it suffice?

[-]

msreciprocity@reddit

I don't know but I have friends who evacuated for Katrina who had to prove residency beyond just their ID to get back in earlier than when everything was finally open to everyone. I suppose because people can easily move without updating. But it's always a good thing to have on hand in your emergency paperwork packet IMHO.

[-]

No-Channel3917@reddit

Alot of states post emergency evacuation rentry to have both your photo id and lease or ownership agreement.

[-]

StrangeCurrency8154@reddit

How necessary is evac? What if someone refuses or hides in their basement when they go door to door? Preppers, would you ever go with them during forced evacuation?

[-]

HillbillyRebel@reddit

Mandatory evacuations don't really mean what people think they mean. You do not need to leave your home and they can't force you. Police will not break into your to search for you.

They will mark you on the map so they can come check on you afterwards, if something happens. The chemical (methyl methacrylate) is just a mild irritant that can cause irritation in the eyes, nose, lungs, and throat. It can also cause respiratory distress in high doses. The evacuation is due to the risk of an explosion and the effects the chemical can have on the body.

This is one of those times where I wouldn't be hanging around if I was in the evacuation zone. Especially if I was near the tanks. (I have been working on this incident since yesterday. Not even the firefighters are getting close to this one.)

[-]

monty845@reddit

Mandatory evacuations don't really mean what people think they mean. You do not need to leave your home and they can't force you. Police will not break into your house to search for you.

A number of states have laws on the books that allow for fines, or even arrest for violating an evacuation order. But in practice, such laws are not really enforced against people staying in their home.

[-]

nakedonmygoat@reddit

Mandatory evacuations don't really mean what people think they mean.

No kidding. Every time there's a mandatory evacuation for a hurricane, there are people who either refuse to leave or who cannot because the people who implemented the "mandatory" part of the evac forgot that there are people who cannot easily leave due to age, disability, lack of a working vehicle, or some combination of those three. No one goes through those areas herding them into vans at gunpoint. They just tell them to write their SSN on their body so they can be identified later.

[-]

Salt-Tour-2736@reddit

There’s free Ubers from anywhere in the evac zone to any of the evacuation shelters

[-]

Aggravating_Act0417@reddit

Go with who?

Yes, I would absolutely evacuate if I lived in a high density area with a risk of a gas explosion. That's what a bug out bag is for.

[-]

StrangeCurrency8154@reddit

Whoever is in charge of the evac. It makes sense in this case, sometimes it doesn’t.

[-]

nakedonmygoat@reddit

If I were under an evacuation order for a chemical leak, I'd take the pets and go. Evacuation zones for chemical incidents are based on the properties of the chemical in question, and the weather forecast, including wind speed and direction. In the case of Orange County, there's a blast area to consider as well.

Just keep a basic go bag and lists of other items to take in different scenarios.* If you're near enough to chemical plants that an immediate evac could happen, keep a separate go bag for that scenario. If I were near a chemical plant or if the most common wind patterns put me immediately downwind of one, I would find out what chemicals I need to be concerned about and add an appropriate respirator to my preps, if one was available.

But in the Orange County case, it looks like residents were given plenty of lead time, making it easy to pack not just necessities but comfort items. And for those in the potential blast zone, where there might be a fireball, they had time to take some sentimental items as well.

Where to go is like any other evacuation scenario. You choose your destination based on fuel, family, friends, and finances.

* A go bag can be for anything from an emergency hospital stay, to a two-week evacuation to a nearby town, or trekking out on foot over a potentially long distance with multiple hazards. And those are just a few scenarios. There are similarities, but also critical differences in what will be of use to you.

[-]

funkyb89@reddit

I’m someone who is in the evac zone even though I’m near the most northern part. Didn’t hear any thing at all about the incident until Friday morning around 1130. Wife and I were already at work, by the time we got back to the area to see if we could grab stuff from our house it was already locked down. Fortunately we were able to get there in a let’s call it a creative way to grab our bags and documents and got out quickly.

We had refreshed and upgraded our prep last year after the fires in LA. Learned that we were missing a few things that would have been helpful but were staying with family a few hours away so needs are currently met.

I honestly never expected to need to use any of my prep but here we are. Guess that’s the whole point, happy I took the time to do it even when it seemed a little silly.

[-]

WhereDidAllTheSnowGo@reddit

Haven’t you already left to take a vacation with friends and family in another state?

[-]

mediocre_remnants@reddit

A go-bag with everything you need for a 2-3 day stay at a hotel or friend/family's place outside of the evacuation zone. Maybe some snacks and a couple of bottles of water in case you get stuck in evacuation traffic.

I keep a piece of paper with the addresses, directions, and phone numbers for hotels that are a few different directions from where I live, within 10, 20, and 50 miles. If I have to leave quickly, I can call a hotel and book a room before the rush.

I do know someone in that area who had to evacuate, they just went to stay with some friends a few miles away. There was no prep, they just left, but they also don't have pets or kids to deal with.

[-]