lets discuss preps for disasters

[KubotainNH]

Interesting thread with a ton of info. Subscribing.

 

[CalG]

I have an "ok" supply of essentials -- though life wouldn't be comfortable.

Meat (and eggs) can be salted to preserve them. You can pickle nearly anything... May not taste how you want it, but hey... It works.

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You bring up a point that I have thought of on several occasion. In a time of difficulty, where does one "get" salt.

Do you know of the nearest salt mine in your area? The ocean is only about 100 miles from my home. quite a hike if there be trouble about. And besides, Salt water is NOT salt, that takes time.

 

[Jstpssng]

"Nobody can stay awake 24/7": that's a good reason to keep your noisy dog around.

Just out of curiosity, how many are ham operators?

 

[KiotiKowboy]

"Nobody can stay awake 24/7": that's a good reason to keep your noisy dog around.

Just out of curiosity, how many are ham operators?

I have my license but no longer get on the radio.

In the event of CME/EMP you won't be talking on anything but a can and a string.

 

[GreenYellow]

You bring up a point that I have thought of on several occasion. In a time of difficulty, where does one "get" salt. Do you know of the nearest salt mine in your area? The ocean is only about 100 miles from my home. quite a hike if there be trouble about. And besides, Salt water is NOT salt, that takes time.

Good question. That would be one of those $100 per ounce items.
Probably a good item to stockpile if you're into stockpiling. Infinite shelf life I suppose.
Vinegar too. It's incredibly useful.

Speaking of infinite shelf life. Bleach has already been mentioned. Countless uses.
Alcohol. (Rubbing alcohol, specifically) But other kinds too if that's suits you.
Peroxide. Propane. Oils (all kinds). Paper goods. Good hand tools. Glass and metal containers with good lids.

I don't intend to shift the focus to long term. Soundguy originally was referring to short term scenarios.
My mind just tends to think sustainability. If I'm prepared for long term, I'm prepared for short term too. Basically.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[TCJatko]

I think most of this thread is weird. Talking about groups with different skills and not being able to stay up for 24 hours to guard the property. Too many movies?

I'm with you.I don't need to be prepared for anything. With the current group of really, really smart people in Washington I'll just rely on FEMA. I would encourage all people to turn in their firearms as well; that way you and your families can be safe.

 

[MossRoad]

Ahh... without power for filtration, your pool water is turning bad within 48 hours.

After a hurricane, well, not useable for anything else other than toilets unless you have some purification methods handy.

Don't overlook charcoal for long term value. Both storage and cooking value.

You can still use the pool water to flush the toilet and you can still run the pool water trough a filter or distill it to make it drinkable. Same goes for well water.

 

[paulharvey]

You can still use the pool water to flush the toilet and you can still run the pool water trough a filter or distill it to make it drinkable. Same goes for well water.

Why would you filter or purify well water? It's just as pure after SHTF as it is before.

 

[MossRoad]

I read a brief summary of a CIA study saying that with in 6 months of a total power grid failure, they expected something like 85% fatality, and after 12 months 90%. Think it stabilized at that point.

So, something no one has mentioned is deeds, car titles, marriage license, ect. Not sure if in a longer term event your "proof" of ownership would mater, and depending on the event possibly could be used against you ( ie Kulaks in 1920s Ukraine).

Copies of that stuff should be kept at home. The originals should be in a safe deposit box in a bank or credit union.

 

[MossRoad]

I grew up in Earth Quake country and we always had bottled water and some food with our camping supplies. Moving to Texas I've learned about tornadoes and hurricanes. When Katrina and then Rita hit, the forecast was for as much as 20 inches of rain where I'm at. It never happened, but if it had, I don't know what I would have done since I wasn't prepared at all. Last year two tornado's hit fairly close to where I'm at. The worse one was in Van Texas, about 20 miles away. It was an EF3. Driving by there and seeing the damage is just surreal. There is path through the woods where every tree is snapped in half. It's over a hundred yards wide and as far as you can see!!!! The second one was only a EF1, but it shut down the city of Henderson for a week in some places and clean up took a few months. That was 30 miles away.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Van...X&ved=0CCgQsARqFQoTCOT05s6mjcgCFY0viAodaSABGA

That really was a wake up call for us. While I still keep camping supplies and water stored in my shop, and a generator with fuel ready for our normal ice storms or severe rains, a tornado is a different story. Our new goal is to create a storm shelter/underground storage room. Having supplies is only good if you have them in a safe place. It will have a bathroom too. Size will be 16x16 with the stairs going down into it inside that space and the half bath under the stairs. This will require a bunch of digging and trenching to get the drain line to go far enough away to where I can get it to a new septic tank, but when done, it will be our safe place.

We are also in the process of creating a canning/processing room. The garden gets better every year, but storing what we grow and having space to work with it is lacking. The room is framed, but still lacks utilities and finishing. It's 12ft x 24ft.

Natural disasters are only part of our concern. We are also very worried about the economy and reducing our dependence on walmart or other stores for food. We have begun clearing our fence line around the property and improving the pastures for grazing. Having cattle will provide an addition source of income, and food for us through out the year. Same thing with raising chickens. We have 11 layers that are providing more eggs then we can eat. Karen is selling them for $3 a dozen at work, which pays for their food. We have another 24 chicks that we are raising for more layers and also butchering for us to eat. Which is another reason for the processing room.

Unlike Soundguy, I like Mountain House freeze dried food. I've found that some of them are rather bland, but others are fantastic tasting. I've been on week long hunting trips where that is all we had to eat, and I enjoyed every meal. You just don't buy the bad tasting ones once you figure out what you like and what you don't like.

These are all long term goals. In the short term, we will continue with having a weeks supply of food and water on hand and hope for the best.

Tornados suck! We have had them almost every year in near proximity, mostly limited local damage and very rarely loss of life, However, several years ago, one was particularly close (jumped OVER my in-law's house and went west of us by 1/4 mile) and was on the ground for about 45 miles! It varied from 1/4 mile wide to walking path wide over that distance. I frequently mention basements in the home building threads and get poo-poo'd quite often, usually the reason being "they're damp" or "they're expensive". Many, many times in my life I've been dragged to the basement by my parents and I've dragged my family to the basement in a tornado or thunderstorm. It is quite a satisfying feeling to be warm, dry and underground when storms threaten. If built correctly, there are no moisture issues. Around here, you have to put in footings below the frost line, and a concrete wall and slab. That's generally 4' deep. So the only added cost is to dig out the hole deeper, 4' more of concrete all the way around, and stairs. Its well worth it. If we ever build a new house, I'm going to put in a small room in a corner with a reinforced concrete ceiling as well. My dad built a bomb shelter in his house in the 50's with a concrete ceiling and that was THE place to be in a storm. Also, around here, houses without basements sell for quite a bit less. Most basements are finished with at least one recreation room and 1/2 bath and plenty of climate controlled storage. :thumbsup: