Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Key to Emergency Water in Urban/Suburban Areas [Preppers]
Backwoods Engineer Blog ^ | 29 March 2013 | Backwoods Engineer

Posted on 03/29/2013 6:42:31 PM PDT by backwoods-engineer

Imagine this scenario: for whatever reason, you are bugging out, and have to travel through an urban or suburban area, or even along an interstate highway.

It's hot. Dang hot. And you need water. There's no streams or lakes or ponds nearby. Nothing is open, and there's no power to operate a soda machine, even if there was one around. You've got a container in your bug-out bag, but you need a source of clean water.

If there are buildings, there is water available everywhere, but without a special tool, you can't get it!

What are you talking about, Backwoods?

Ever seen these special faucets on the side of a convenience store or gas station, or other commercial building?

[picture of sillcock hydrant]

It's known as a keyed sillcock hydrant. They are everywhere in the suburban and urban environment. They're used by building maintenance people for connecting water hoses for washing sidewalks, etc. It's a good bet that almost all have good water in them 24/7/365, whether the business is open or not. Even with the power down, there's probably going to be some pressure left, which allows you to get some hydration.

I recently drove around in the medium-sized town a few miles from my place, with an eye toward spotting these. I spotted keyed hydrants at the following places:

Yeah, keyed sillcock hydrants are everywhere.

But you need one of these special keys to open one:

[Picture of Wolverine PST154 Sillcock Key]

Without a sillcock key, it's going to be hard to get the water. Yeah, you could probably use the pliers on a Leatherman or Gerber tool, but why mess with all that? Just put one of these babies in your bugout bag.

And for $6.42 on Amazon.com, why not?

Throw this little 3-ounce key in your bugout bag, and wherever you see a commercial building, most likely you can get some water, in an emergency situation and businesses are closed.

I've got one of these in every bugout bag in every vehicle in my family. They may even be available from your local building supply store; I haven't checked.

Just a little survival tip from Ol' Backwoods.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Reference; Society
KEYWORDS: banglist; bugout; preppers
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-59 next last
To: MrB

$8.24

USD? Yen? BitCoin? ;-)


21 posted on 04/11/2013 11:57:55 AM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Kartographer

“space credits”, being devalued at a rate of 6% per month.


22 posted on 04/11/2013 12:02:49 PM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Kartographer

4 10th oz silver coins?


23 posted on 04/11/2013 12:04:02 PM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: MrB
That's why I am turn all my assets into Gold Pressed Latinum!
24 posted on 04/11/2013 12:05:58 PM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: MrB

Oh and I forgot I am also stocking up on lots of canned Gagh with Yamok Sauce!


25 posted on 04/11/2013 12:08:52 PM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: MrB

Dang! We must be buying so many of these, we’re driving the price up!


26 posted on 04/11/2013 12:28:26 PM PDT by backwoods-engineer (Blog: www.BackwoodsEngineer.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: backwoods-engineer

That’s what I thought as well...


27 posted on 04/11/2013 12:28:59 PM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Kartographer

Thanks for the Preppers Ping. I should have asked for one when I first posted this.


28 posted on 04/11/2013 12:29:43 PM PDT by backwoods-engineer (Blog: www.BackwoodsEngineer.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Kartographer; greeneyes; CatherineofAragon; JRandomFreeper
Have never heard of these keys and will get one.

MY COLD STEEL 24 INCH MACHETE CAME TODAY! This thing is so long, it's like Michonne’s sword on Walking Dead. I'm not kidding, it is so long I won't have to get close at all to those dead sharp thorned rose bush limbs to whack them off.

And for zombies - let's just say they will meet their second death with this monster machete. It is so lethal (looking).

29 posted on 04/11/2013 12:38:36 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: MrB
Current price: $8.24

Price jump of 20% due to sudden and inexplicable skyrocketing sales increase.


30 posted on 04/11/2013 12:39:36 PM PDT by Iron Munro (Welcome to Obama-Land - EVERYTHING NOT FORBIDDEN IS COMPULSORY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Marcella

I heard of an experiment simulating a homeowner with a [marking] sword vs an intruder with a paintball gun. The homeowner got to pick his hiding place, and the intruder was not familiar with the layout of the building.

The sword “won” almost every time.


31 posted on 04/11/2013 12:43:55 PM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Marcella
I don't understand why someone doesn't carry on of these on 'The Walking Dead'

32 posted on 04/11/2013 12:51:07 PM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Kartographer
“I don't understand why someone doesn't carry on of these on ‘The Walking Dead’.”

I consider getting one of those last year because I have some limbs from a yard behind me that, every year, puts new growth over my back wall and I have to cut that back or it will start shading the back left half of the garden. I used the manual clippers again and that isn't fun to hold that heavy thing up and cut.

I just went out there and took some swipes with this major machete and took down a lot of those dead thorny limbs fast. I have to wear a long sleeved shirt and gloves the next time to get the job totally done.

It's also so long I don't have to bend over a million time to get the dead limbs off the ground. I just stuck the machete on the ground next to a bunch of limbs and dragged the limbs with the machete to be all in one place.

This machete is my new best friend.

33 posted on 04/11/2013 1:18:23 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: backwoods-engineer

Great post, and in my consulting engineering days, I specified a zillion hose bibbs like that on offices, schools, industrial buildings, hotels, etc. Pretty standard for commercial work.


34 posted on 04/11/2013 1:20:59 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MrB

Just ordered one from Amazon. Only 3 left now.


35 posted on 04/11/2013 2:18:47 PM PDT by SVTCobra03 (You can never have enough friends, horsepower or ammunition.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Marcella

LOL, you are too cool.

You’re making me want one of ‘em myself.


36 posted on 04/11/2013 3:20:25 PM PDT by CatherineofAragon (Support Christian white males---the architects of the jewel known as Western Civilization)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: CatherineofAragon
Here - $18.99 for 24 inch. Get one and feel Walking Dead prepared. It's just awesome to see.

http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Machete-Compound-24-00-Inch/dp/B001CZBKOM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365719662&sr=8-1&keywords=cold+steel+latin+machete

37 posted on 04/11/2013 3:37:11 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Marcella

You know, we could use one of those things around here. I’m going to show my husband and tell him we need it.

If I get that, I’m gonna need a cape, though. My hair’s already long and curly, so dreadlocks should be doable.


38 posted on 04/11/2013 3:57:24 PM PDT by CatherineofAragon (Support Christian white males---the architects of the jewel known as Western Civilization)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: backwoods-engineer
There's no streams or lakes or ponds nearby.

Find one. Your very life depends on it.

Sawyer Squeeze Water Filtration System

39 posted on 04/11/2013 4:37:22 PM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (For me, I plan to die standing as a free man rather than spend one second on my knees as a slave.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: backwoods-engineer; Kartographer
How did we (at least I) miss knowing about that avenue to water by finding that on a building and knowing about a sillcock key?

I thought I knew everything in the whole wide world, and find I didn't know that. Darn, there may be something else in the world I don't know. I am really ticked off that has never come up on any forum anywhere or from any reading I have done.

What a marvelous thing to know. I must put that on Survival Podcast where I write. That is so easy to have an emergency water source if you are caught in a town or city and have to get home.

Someone said don't steal his water. I don't think anyone would do that on purpose when there wasn't an emergency (I haven't heard of that - does it happen?) but if “some” water meant having enough water to get home, I wouldn't care if someone did that if it was my water in a big building. We are talking about a commercial building and enough water to get home so that would be at the start of the problem and the person would be gone from there from then on.

40 posted on 04/11/2013 7:10:01 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-59 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson