Posted on 10/24/2009 6:59:56 PM PDT by Bean Counter
We have had a number of open discussions here at FR for quite some time about the importance of personal emergency preparedness. Many of us have taken an interest in this subject for a long time, and have been working steadfastly toward being prepared for a real emergency, and this evening I thought I would share my progress on one phase of our plan, food.
Anyone who knows anything about preparedness will tell you that the first thing you should do is make a plan that fits your personal needs. A bachelor has much different survival needs than a family of seven. Our personal plan is to prepare to support 4 adults in place for a year. We don't have kids in the family right now, so we have not set aside any children's needs, but your plan may well have a considerable bit.
To date we have spent about $3000 over the course of the past year in stocking our emergency pantry. Much of that money went toward purchase of proper storage containers. Essentially, we ended up with three sizes of food grade white plastic food containers:
6 1/2 Gallons (fits 50 pounds of flour if you pack it)
4 Gallon (fits a 25 pound bag of beans perfectly)
5 Gallon Buckets(a late addition, but good for many things).
We also can a lot of our own vegetables and fruit. I have a whole cupboard of homemade jam, jelly and flavored mustards that don't appear on this list but would last us for years...
All bulk dry goods are stored in these plastic containers, along with a couple of commercial grade oxygen absorber packets. These are widely available and are very inexpensive. I bought 100 for $20. When you put them in a bucket that has beans in it (for example) then seal the top (all of our buckets have "O" ring seals) the absorber draws in all of the oxygen in that contained atmosphere, which leaves mainly nitrogen inside. Nothing we know of can live in a Nitrogen atmosphere, so even if you have a live insect in there someplace, it will not last for long.
Again, this list just covers our food preparations. We have also made arrangements for our medical needs, sanitation, water supply, personal protection, etc.
We have made many improvements to our home over the last 12 years including upgrading and replacing all of the windows and doors, upgrading the insulation in the attic, replacing and upgrading the insulation under the house, new duct work and a modern zoned forced air heating and air conditioning system. As you can see, this is an ongoing effort that has been years in the making.
We also installed a modern 78% efficient woodstove that allows us to heat the house with the heat pump turned off at the breaker. We use the forced air system to circulate the woodstove's heat and keep the house warm all winter for a fraction of the cost of using the heat pump. If we lost power, we would stay nice and warm, and we can cook on the stove to boot.
What follows is my inventory for our "extended pantry". We have our normal household inventory as well that does not appear on this list. The process continues, and there are other additions to come that are not listed here, and I have a perpetual list of things to add that I put up as cash becomes available.
Have a look and let's talk...
ping
BTTT for later read....great start !
Hmm, thanks for the food for thought.
We are not as far along on our preparedness, but I have a few ideas that we are using.
Canned good that have a 3 year use/sell date are usually good for 5-10 years stored in a stable environment. If you buy those that are items you are willing to eat anytime, you can constantly rotate your stock with little effort, which adds a lot of life to your supplies.
- canned meats
corned beef
corned beef hash
roast beef hash
sardines
salmon
crab meat
- rice noodles (go to a local Asian store. rice noodles are very cheap, keep for a very long time and are easy to cook)
- canned white potatoes
- foil pouches of rice dishes
- plenty of canned evaporated milk in addition to the powdered stuff
- 10 jugs of laundry detergent
- PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES! I take meds for a heart arrhythmia. It comes with a 2 year use date, so I have purchased a 2 year supply and now buy on a normal basis, rotating it. Even without a disaster, hyperinflation could force you to choose between food and drugs.
- plenty of plain old band-aids. If not opened they last forever.
- did you mean 36 rolls of TP or 36 packages? We have 8 packages of 24 rolls. Again, I plan on using them no matter what.....
- LOTS of toothpaste, dental floss and toothbrushes. You can put several year’s supply away for little money. You’d really miss them.
After much thought, I’ve decided to store water in 1/2 or 1 gallon glass jugs. Research has told me that if you have treated municipal water, you can store it in clean containers for 6 months. So, put 24 gallons up and simply empty and refill every 6 months. Keep some stuff for purifying also.
When I lived in Florida I endured numerous hurricanes and power outages. I own a good gas grill and 3 propane tanks. That much gas will go for a long time.
I can see it now.... hold my beer. lol
“The diatomaceous earth helps mitigate insect risk.”
What form are you talking about? Mixing the DE powder in with the food? Or are you saying to put in packets or something?
What? No Cabernet Savignon?
We are laying in bourbon for personal use as well as a trade able commodity. I don’t think you could store too much hard liquor. It would be very valuable in lean times.
Hmm, interesting idea on the tobacco. Since we don’t use it, it hadn’t occurred to me.
And that's the most important item too. We can survive without food, but not without water. I purchased a portable water filtering system like FEMA, the Red Cross, and other agencies use that purifies water, no matter the condition. One filter will purify 60K gallons of water.
IMO a generator for the fridge is a waste. Spend $1500 to save $250 worth of food. OK for hurricanes but not for survival type situations. Being without electricity sucks in Florida but they just use too much fuel for long term usage.
We use the canned goods option since we’ll eat the stuff anyway. Planning to buy some freeze dried foods though.
The grill and extra tanks are good. I used that during the hurricanes so we could eat something hot. Planning to get a bigger tank and keep it full.
btt
How do you purchase a two year supply of prescription meds. My health plan will not fill my prescription if the last refill has ten pills in it. They say, too soon.
You may want to add some fabric and sewing supplies. In case you need a turnaquit(sp?) or just a new pair of shorts.
Pay cash, gets expensive though.
Go ahead and laugh. In the days before AC it was standard remedy for heatstroke.
My AK, ammo, and some PB, and I'm ready to rock!
;-)
Well, if kept at cellar temp, it can have a remarkably long shelf life.
We needn't be a bunch of savages whilst wasting zombies, you know.
(Adjusts monacle)
I agree. Non perishable foodstuffs and the ability to cook is far better. I imagine that the generator idea would be better in a compound/camp designed for survival, with serious fuel storage capabilities.
One thing we did in FL was buy battery operated fans. Not practical for long periods, but a very welcome luxury with no power for five days.
It happens to the best of us.
Food grade. Don't use the diatomaceous earth sold for swimming pool filters.
Mixing the DE powder in with the food?
Yes. It doesn't take much and is safe to eat (86% silica, 5% sodium, 3% magnesium and 2% iron). Like most dusts, you want to avoid breathing it. Food grade diatomaceous earth is routinely used for control of grain eating insects.
Or are you saying to put in packets or something?
No, blend it directly with the grain/flour/meal. Since it's ok for human consumption, consider mixing it with other bulk dried foods.
Here's an overview on diatomacious earth you can use as a starting point for further research. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth#cite_note-3
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