Mods, if you want to sticky, I can reply to all incoming requests for preparedness as they come in, time allowing.
You can prepare for a few weeks easily, you don't have to go crazy.
Water:
- If you will be on the move, "Bugging Out", you might have time to get lifestraws lifestraw.com -You may still have time to order a water bob. Great if you have an extra bathtub and are not in control of your water situation(as opposed to those with a private well), otherwise just fill your tub without and boil the water if you are concerned -https://waterbob.com/
- You can sanitize questionable water with bleach, https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cphl/Practice/water.htm
- Remember, you will need quite a bit of water for drinking, cleaning, batheing
- Get some paper cups and papers, cuts down on water use cleaning dishes
- Do all your laundry ASAP so you have a full closet of clean clothes
Food
- Don't go crazy on LTS(long term storage food), if you aren't eating it now, don't go get it. You can start looking into it, but not necessary. Too expensive per calorie at this point.
- Double and Triple up on the canned goods you already buy on a regular basis, adding canned meats to replace fresh/frozen meats.
- If you can, get a small generator to run your fridge or freezer. Worst case scenario, the outside temps in many places are good for freezing or cooling food. Hurricane hit folks get the need for this
- Buy larger bags of rice from costco if you can, filling and keeps well
Meds
- Vitamins, bandaids, stock up what you use on a daily basis, toothpaste, new tooth brushes, pain killers, contact your doctor to see if you can get a month ahead on Rx meds(important!)
Electronics
- LED lights and batteries are a must, candles can't hurt either, you can cook a can of beans with a candle
- Consider getting an emergency radio with crank recharging.
- Get those cell phone batteries and charge them up, have them at the ready
Heating
- Kerosene heater if you don't have a fireplace
- If you have a fireplace you don't use, get some wood and clean out the fireplace, you might need it, hopefully not
Please ask questions here, I've been a prepper since 2008, I'm sure there are more here.
I suggest survivalblog.com for much more in depth info.
Prepper terms you might come across in your reading:
- BOB is a Bug out bag, basically, if you think your current location is dangerous, it is a bag packed with the things you would need to grab and go. If this is ready ahead of time, you get on the road before everyone else even thinks to flee
- BOL bug out location, a planned place to flee to
- LTS long term strorage, mostly for food
People always say stock up on matches (and you should) but a magnesium block and striker is also great to keep in hand.
Yes, also if you don't have a fireplace or wood stove, a kerosene heater can be used in a pinch for heating. We had a Thanksgiving wind storm that knocked out power to some folks in the Spokane area for 2 weeks. Lots of people I knew moved in with friends who had fireplaces, just too cold to survive without.
I went and got all my propane tanks filled yesterday. Would probably last a few month using a single burner, a grill, or my cast iron grill.
In the summer time here in south. It's a good idea to have some mosquito netting. Gets awfully hot without any air.
And while I thinking about it what I do when hurricane comes, you should have materials needed to board up any windows you want have a 24 hour watch on. I'd rather board up windows and force potential intruder to my strong spot than let them pick and choose. Not a bad idea to get a good stock of sand bags, and builders sand it case needed.
So what do we, the people who have done at least some prep, do when the kin folk that did not listen to our warnings come over asking for food? Would not let them starve, but they will have to do they part in the game of survival. So good idea is to press you neighbors and kin folk to do a much prep as you can convince them to do, because this will keep your supplies from being drained when they come calling.
I'd straight up tell them your expectations. If they are going to hunker down at your place, give them a list of items to bring over ahead of time or when they come. Tell them you don't have the money/time/desire to make sure they have enough food and they need to do their part.
Your right!! Need to set expectations up front. Thanks
I haven't been able to find a match since Superman died.