Posted on 11/13/2012 11:17:38 AM PST by Kartographer
I have found that when starting your preparedness measures, it is best to start at the beginning in order to ensure you have everything you need to build up your foundation. Start your preparations with a 72-hour kit and then create a vehicle 72-hour kit. Once that is complete, you can begin ensuring your basic needs are met for longer periods or begin targeting other layers of preparedness. The 52-Weeks to Preparedness series offers a complete list of getting your home and family ready for unexpected disasters.
Having multiple emergency plans is another example of layering up. Not only do you always need a Plan B, you need Plan C, Plan D and on through the alphabet for every situation. Keep the following tips in mind when beginning your preparedness foundation:
Keep family members and any medical or special needs in mind when planning Don’t forget your pets Continually adding onto your layers will makes for a more economical approach to preparing Many preps have multiple uses and can be used for multiple disasters Let’s look at some other examples of how you might layer your preparedness.
(Excerpt) Read more at readynutrition.com ...
The derecho that hit Ohio on June 29th left us without power for four days and neighbors nearby in the dark for almost two weeks. Fortunately, we still had water and sewer service, and we could drive about an hour to reach gas supplies, but having a generator and some supplies on hand made things much easier. We were "lucky" - temperatures were close to 100 degrees each day, so we didn't have to worry about the cold.
Since we're in a prepping thread, a question - what is the best method for siphoning gasoline from cars (my cars, not the neighbors) without having to taste gas? :)
This is excellent! There is so much prepper information available, and it’s all different. What one person forgets to include, the next guy remembers.
>>Preparing for a complete collapse of government and infrastruction... as the 20th century taught anyone awake, is probably not a bad idea,<<
That is essentially what the Mad Max scenario is. (possible tread drift: why in the heck did they remake Red Dawn? The first one made its point most excellently!)
How did you fare with Sandy? Were you hit hard? How did your Prep come into play (whether you ramped up to TSHTF level or a more realistic scenario...)
I think anecdotes of how it worked out (for example, I used my camp stove for 4 days after the Northridge quake when I had electricity but not gas — and I had beer — LOTS of beer) would be helpful for people who peruse the prepper threads.
Stewart recommends surgical tubing, if you can’t use the tubing from your water purification unit. You can use it for a tourniquet too, and other uses, I forget them.
Since you can see through it, just stop sucking when you see fuel an inch from your nose. You could carry a rubber squeeze bulb, that would be a luxury item and in your BOB, every ounce matters. Personally I love the taste of gasoline in the morning, and belching flame.
>>Gee, I dunno. You may be tasty but I doubt you’d be here if you were a dimmycrat.<<
Everyone knows we Conservatives taste like the babies we eat and bile!
(that will ALSO be my story when TSHTF)
>>Since we’re in a prepping thread, a question - what is the best method for siphoning gasoline from cars (my cars, not the neighbors) without having to taste gas? :) <<
Have your kids do it.
Or my ex-wife (the only thing she was good at).
freedumb said: “I am always honest: I think WTSHTF is twaddle but preparing for emergencies is what any smart person should do.”
It is the definition of “emergencies” freedum mentioned that determines a person's level of preparedness.
When instructing in preparedness in articles I write on Survival Podcast, I first ask people to define what their risks are living where they are. That is survival of whatever could happen in your region. Prepare for that first, then consider what other “emergencies” might befall you considering regions farther away from you.
I consider an EMP FROM THE SUN as a definite possibility because the sun throws off these blasts of energy all the time but there is a time sequence of these events - as in, 2013 is at the time of very high energy blasts.
When these blasts happen, they are set on their course in a straight line from whence they came and they don't deviate from that definite course/direction. If it leaves the sun headed in the direction of earth, it is definitely coming here. Do I know for sure a mega blast will happen next year - no, but I want insurance that I will be okay if it happens. I can't do anything about it AFTER it happens.
Look at the northeast right now - still thousands with no power, no car, no food, no water but they still have their house - if they had stored water and food they would be in good shape. Those with no house are in worse shape. Having a supply of cash is vital if the house is gone. It takes cash to be able to get out of there to have a place to stay unless you want to be in a tent with guards watching your every move and having to show your ID to go to the potty.
If I had lived that close to that huge body of water, I would have left before the storm hit with my car stuffed with provisions. Right now, if I had to leave this house fast, I have two backpacks, one in the car right now, and another in the house with another bag on wheels stuffed with provisions and I don't live near water.
You see, one time I had to leave here fast and I couldn't leave fast - I wasn't prepared to do that. I said that would never happen to me again.
Well, this post is getting long, and I'll finish by saying make sure you have water, food, a safe place, and security INSURANCE. Every penny you put into preps is more INSURANCE to save your life and that of your family. Do I believe the government will save me - not one freaking bit.
History is our guide if we pay attention.
/johnny
>>Getting serious about prepping is overwhelming at first so this helps. Thanks!<<
Marcella’s post downthread is good advice: think about probable scenarios for your area (it used be earthquakes when I was in So. Cal. now it is tornadoes in North Dallas).
Remember to take small but important steps. Potable water, batteries, waterproof matches, canned goods, etc. can all be picked up on your next trip to Costco or Sam’s Club — other than the matches you probably buy these anyway so just double up.
Don’t let my teasing of Kart throw you (but you can probably hold off on the chickens and goats if you live in an apartment) — a lot of these ideas are cheap and easy (also like my ex-wife). And useful (NOT like my ex-wife).
101. Bible
The problem is not so much TEOTWAWKI, but being prepared for disaster clusters. Many times one disaster can make one vulnerable to a secondary disaster , one that you may have even been easily able to handle if not for the primary disaster. This is exactly what happened with Sandy and the Northeaster. Think a earthquake on the New Madrid during a server winter storm.
I was nine years old, sitting around a summer campfire as the other guys cooked savory hotdogs on sharpened sticks, eating my cold peanut butter and jelly sandwich that my Mommy had made for me.
On that evening I unstuck my tongue from the roof of my mouth under a blanket of stars, and I promised myself (cue violins) `As God is my witness, I’ll never go hungry again.”
Be prepared.
Personally I love the taste of gasoline in the morning, and belching flame.
and for the visual. :)
semper paratus
The USA is sui generis — we may stumble but we won’t fall in the way you are thinking.
If the fighting didn’t start last Wednesday it never will. We will be like the proverbial “boiled frog.” Liberty will die by a thousand cuts — your kids or grandkids will one day look around and ask “WHAT HAPPENED? WHERE DID MY FREEDOM GO?”
I've been building a mud brick oven (New Mexico style). I'll be done with it sometime in spring.
Has nothing to do with survival, I just miss cooking bread and pizzas in a wood fired oven, and quality of that bread.
/johnny
You prep the way you wanna prep, I'll prep my way. I'm more focused on really having skillsets, and experience than having 'stuff'.
Stuff is nice to have, and I've certainly got a lot, but the skillsets, and experince with them, are more important to me.
/johnny
Collect and save old telephone books to substitute for TP after the good stuff is used up.
Yep. Yummy. I make a great sourdough rustic.
Once you know how to do it, a make shift oven or rocket stove can be pulled together just about anywhere with clay in an emergency.
>>The problem is not so much TEOTWAWKI<<
I agree. Which is why I jump on these threads (although getting you POd is a big bonus;) )
And I hate you for making me Google and decipher “TEOTWAWKI.” Can’t we just shorthand it to REM?
;)
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