Replies

I haven’t had time to research yet so I’ll just drop off preparation suggestions that have floated aimlessly through my head in the last 12 hours.

Food pantries - if you or those you love do not have the resources to buy and set aside extra food, food pantries are the place to go. If you are prepped but your friends, neighbors, or family members are not (and/or cannot afford to), you can collect food on their behalf.

In my area, food pantries distribute non-perishables and those operated by churches provide them freely, without asking for proof of need etc. All are welcome at church food pantries - atheists and those of other faiths are warmly provided for without hesitation.

Many different faiths operate pantries and so it is possible to visit more than one food pantry each month if you need to set aside food for more than one family member or friend. In the event of emergency, these are the same resources that would be distributed to the public - by planning ahead, you help reduce the demand for volunteers or first responders to distribute food during times of actual need. Time-released support which benefits all.

Water
I lived in a remote countryside growing up with access to temperamental electricity. With outages, our area was last to have power restored. Without power, our little water pump would lose pressure in less than a day. While there was water in the well (and it was not open for bucket access) there was no water pressure to make it available. For those not living in remote locations, I’ve always read the estimate of 3 days of water pressure in urban areas, but I don’t know if that’s true anymore. In the 1989 earthquake living in an apartment, we lost water pressure on day 2.

If the power went out, we had no way of knowing how long the outage would last. After about 15 minutes, my parents and other families scattered miles apart, would give the signal to a)set water aside and b) conserve water.

So at the 15 minute mark, with the power still out, we would troop to the restrooms to fill the bathtubs with water. Bathtub water could be used to flush toilets, brush teeth, bathe etc.

In the kitchen, we would fill the coffee pot reservoir, the carafe and any pot of sufficient size for water to use in preparing food, drinking, and with the aid of a BBQ pit, washing pans/pots in heated water. We filled every available container of size because food preparation (rice, oatmeal, noodles etc.) can take quite a bit.

Laundry was out of the question so some people would fill their top loading washing machines with water. I’ve often read that you can line a garbage can with a plastic garbage bag (shown in the diagrams is usually a 50 gallon rubberized trash container) to provide alternative water - pets, washing etc.

Storing water was “the big deal” we addressed first. Important to have portable water (thermos, bottled etc.) if you have to leave the house or are away from home.

Conserving water
We kept supplies of paper plates, plastic cutlery, plastic cups etc. for use in outages because we didn’t want to expend the energy to heat water or to use drinking water for washing dishes.

(Ironically, many of the stored foods kept for such emergencies require significant amounts of water (e.g., rice, noodles), so canned soups and vegetables etc. are a strategic addition to food stores.)

Bathing was limited of course. For women, washing hair was VERY limited because it uses so much water. It’s possible to buy “Rinseless Shampoo” from beauty supply stores (Sally’s) or medical supply stores as it is used to wash the hair of patients lying in hospital beds and does not require rinsing with water.

If you’ve ever worked in humid areas where one shower per day is just not enough, you’re probably aware of towelettes you can buy to swipe away perspiration until your next merciful shower (unscented baby wipes in a pinch - scented if you’re feelin’ fussy).

There are various brands disposable towelettes to remove makeup but there are many brands which bill themselves as “facials” to simply cleanse the face. Though they are marketed for women, scientific experiments have proven time and time again that many men do not dissolve on contact should they use them.

Obviously, hand sanitizer is another great water saver, too.

We would continue to use water while pressure lasted until pressure became weak and then stopped before it ran out because we wanted to avoid air in the lines. When the power returned, and with it, water pressure, we “used up” the stored water (if any) on watering plants and pets, flushing toilettes (i.e., used up bathtub water), food preparation etc.
~~~~~~~~~~~

I keep decorative led-light candles around the house which have timers and operate on rechargeable batteries. The automatically illuminate at night. Prepping for me includes charging the batteries anew so they can function as room lights if needed.

~~~~~~~~~~
I worked for an employer who required all employees to function as first responder support in an emergency. Our phones were registered to receive emergency instruction on where to report to help out in an emergency.

We were required to keep a bag in our car containing sufficient supplies to be away from home for 24 hrs minimum. A change of shoes, clothes, food bars, water, medications, spare glasses/contacts, makeup, toiletries etc.) I continue the practice as it makes sense.

When I first loaded the bag, I put it in a prominent (annoying) place in the living room for about 2 weeks. During that time, whenever I came across something that I thought would help, I tossed it in the bag. That bag has wheels in case I have to traverse flat terrain. I stuffed an empty backpack in it in case there isn’t wheel-friendly terrain and I want to transfer essentials. I think back packs are probably the best universal solution for peeps - keepin’ it packed and ready. I’ve added a sleeping bag and pillow to the trunk.

That’s all for now.