Posted on 01/24/2014 6:27:18 PM PST by Kartographer
As a survivalist/prepper, I hear a lot of, "I don't want to be a prepper, but I want to be prepared. What should I do? How do I start?" So I compiled a lot of information from FEMA, Red Cross, and other places that have very "basic" information and started typing up a list for them. The four "basic" areas I decided would be a good starting point: getting your whole family involved, what to do before an emergency, what to do after an emergency, and emergency sanitation. I say "basic" because this is only a starting point! This by no means is all you should do. If you think it is because the government will step in ... I feel sorry for you. I tell this to everyone I give this information to and encourage them to research more and be ready for when "it" happens because you won't be able to find me in my secure well stocked locations.
(Excerpt) Read more at survivalblog.com ...
During the week, we used a basin and wash rag to bath on the back porch, or in the summer we used a watering can outdoors in a sheltered place behind the house where passers by couldn't see.
I loved going to Granny's. It was kinda like a camp-out in the house.LOL
To me, living in a small apartment in an out of the way area is best and yes, having a passport is crucial. People should set up their own contingency plan and also maintain a simple bank account, nothing like having multiple accounts for multiple reasons, staying streamlined is vital. Nothing that grabs attention.
Being able to move and move quickly is important.
I fully agree with you about the idea of making sure that you have enough in regards to fuel, but thankfully we live in a time when we can set up pretty much everything to stay decentralized.
To me, being somewhat isolated to enable myself to be unnoticed is the main goal, so if there is chaos, the rest of the world can rip itself apart and ensure that you’re out of the fray.
I like to start any “Preps” with not having electricity and working from there.
ATMs will not work. Keep cash on hand.
Get a (Coleman) cook stove and start adding propane cylinders to your stock of canned goods - if you are not currently using gas. Gas and water will go later, after the electricity fails.
Put “Bugging-Out” far down on your list of priorities. “Hunkering-Down” should be your main concern, absent a tornado or hurricane or nuclear melt-down. The trick is to stay out of sight and not be part of the Bug-Out mass migration. UNLESS, you live in the city. GET OUT OF THE CITY NOW...
Guns and ammo
I have a generator, but I am now thinking that this would attract too much attention. Try to stock alternative means for light and heat. Kerosene lamps, firewood, blankets, hand-crank radio, glow-Sticks etc.
My first line bag of tested tricks..
I put these in a vacuum sealed bag and sent to each of my children.
Renegade Filter: FILTER LIFE 1 Million Gallons, weighs 3 ounces.
How to Eat a Pine Tree: google it..print it out.
Fish mox: NON-PRESCRIPTION and same USP grade antibiotics produced by pharmaceutical companies that also produce antibiotics for human use
We've all seen labels on regular foods decreased over the years and how the box sizes stay the same but the weight of the contents have decreased. As if a serving of breakfast cereal is 1/3 cup, really?!? Or a 3 lb tub of margarine is now 2.9 lbs and a 1 lb tub is as low as 12 oz.
I pointed out here long ago that a small tuna can that used to hold 7.5 oz is now only 5 oz and half that is water. A can of Walmart Starkist http://www.walmart.com/ip/Starkist-Chunk-Light-Tuna-In-Water-Pack-of-4/13398023#Item+Description drained would calculate to $6.98 lb. Not saying a can of tuna isn't good for storage but there are other much more wallet friendly options.
Preppers’ PING! to bgill’s post # 46 this thread!!!
A get catch bgill!
I suggest you consider dehydrating and vacuum packing many of your own staples. The savings in shipping cost would pay for the dehydrator as well as the vacumm machine.
To help cut the laundry chores in half, tell your wife she’s more than welcome to borrow a nice heavy cast iron skillet or a big 5” round rolling pin. That would give her more time for a relaxing solar tanning session while enjoying a glass of sun tea.
You live on an island in the Philippines so naturally the only way out for you is your passport and your “reasonable” bug-out bag, and the hope some plane stops by.
Those of us preppers who have a definite home in this country of which we are a citizen, have a considerable bug-out bag and plenty of stored food at home and ways to provide water and light and warmth and coolness and ways to cook and have our own security - we do not need to flee the country and go where these things are not available or limited.
Once this info hits the web, everyone and their brother knows where to look.
“Solar powered washing machine? Who needs that? I have the best washing machine in the world. It is called “wife”.
It is quite efficient, working day and night, with or without any external power.”
I have a way to wash clothes and dry clothes that does not require slave labor as you are depending on.
“That is why “prepping” is very iffy.”
Prepping isn’t “iffy” if you are smart enough to do it. That is likely your problem.
You will never understand preppers as they are thinkers and doers.
“I’m just keeping my Dad’s bedside commode that I bought for him ...When I was a kid, we used a chamber pot at night.”
You and I are so much alike. I have the bedside commode I had for my husband and when I visited grandparents when young, we had chamber pots at night.
Refering to one's wife as "wife" is bad enough but to call her an "it" opens the door to the repulsive mentality within.
Is that what you call humor?
Ping.
I plan to build a box to muffle the sound. As for the lights - none at night.
Last month I lost electrical power for a couple of days in an icestorm.
First thing I did was run out and buy a generator ahead of the crowd, and hook it up.
First night, I shut it off and closed it up in the garage.
Second night, I decided to leave it running to keep the furnace going, because the house was cooling down too much overnight otherwise.
It was fairly loud; I couldn’t do anything about that, but I did make a point of shutting-off any light that could be seen by someone driving by on the road.
The same kind of “shrinkage” is happening in seed packets. I paid $3 for a new bean variety, the packette had all of 18 seeds in it.
(Fortunately, it’s one of many bean varieties in my seed stash, and it’s an heirloom so I can build up my stock.)
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