Home Survival
- Thread starter Grandpa
- Start date
ppine
Forester
We burn wood and are on a well. Without electricity, it would hard to get water. The yard is full of quail and rabbits. Deer and wild horses behind the house. I would have to travel to find potable water, which raises a good point. Thanks.
catspa
New Member
Good thoughts, Grandpa.
I think it's important to recognize that setting by food, water, and other supplies for future use puts you in a minority position in modern America - there are many more folks who never give it a thought (until the moment of truth, when it's too late). They're going to want what you have, and you're going to want to keep ahold of it (to use for the good of yourself and your loved ones).
In every disaster, there's the actual danger caused by the flood/tornado/hurricane/whatever, and in addition there's often equal or greater damage caused by people's panic and reaction to the disaster. One person panicking alone results in a manageable amount of damage; many people panicking together, things can quickly get beyond anybody's control. So it seems necessary for a prudent person (in the prepared minority) to have a plan for limiting their exposure to panic damage by others.
It will occur to you to put some distance between yourself and the panicking crowds. I see two main schools of thought on this. The one I subscribe to (and some other members of this forum as well) is to live at a distance from crowds already, and help my neighbors to build and maintain the self-reliance and independence that will allow us to help each other out in a tough time, voluntarily. This option fits nicely with my own kinda hermit-y nature, and I plan to hunker down and endure a disaster here.
The other option (equally valid, for some people) is to live in a populated location, but develop a plan for leaving home (temporarily or permanently) and getting to a place where they and their family can have some elbow room and survive until the worst of the wreckage is past. They might carry their supplies with them, or they might have a specific destination in mind, and pre-package some supplies there.
Members choosing this option (shall we call them "bug-outers"?) would want to plan the timing and method of their travel carefully to avoid hazards and maximize their chances of success. They would want to have a plan for gathering their family members, gearing up quickly, and alternate routes and vehicles in mind for their trip. They would also want to have some means of communication in case they got separated.
Before a disaster happens, comfortably behind our keyboards, is the time to think about this stuff and take the precautions we think prudent. So I thank you Grandpa for bringing up the topic, and I thank Jason also for maintaining a forum where we can swap ideas with each other. Thanks, guys.
Parker
I think it's important to recognize that setting by food, water, and other supplies for future use puts you in a minority position in modern America - there are many more folks who never give it a thought (until the moment of truth, when it's too late). They're going to want what you have, and you're going to want to keep ahold of it (to use for the good of yourself and your loved ones).
In every disaster, there's the actual danger caused by the flood/tornado/hurricane/whatever, and in addition there's often equal or greater damage caused by people's panic and reaction to the disaster. One person panicking alone results in a manageable amount of damage; many people panicking together, things can quickly get beyond anybody's control. So it seems necessary for a prudent person (in the prepared minority) to have a plan for limiting their exposure to panic damage by others.
It will occur to you to put some distance between yourself and the panicking crowds. I see two main schools of thought on this. The one I subscribe to (and some other members of this forum as well) is to live at a distance from crowds already, and help my neighbors to build and maintain the self-reliance and independence that will allow us to help each other out in a tough time, voluntarily. This option fits nicely with my own kinda hermit-y nature, and I plan to hunker down and endure a disaster here.
The other option (equally valid, for some people) is to live in a populated location, but develop a plan for leaving home (temporarily or permanently) and getting to a place where they and their family can have some elbow room and survive until the worst of the wreckage is past. They might carry their supplies with them, or they might have a specific destination in mind, and pre-package some supplies there.
Members choosing this option (shall we call them "bug-outers"?) would want to plan the timing and method of their travel carefully to avoid hazards and maximize their chances of success. They would want to have a plan for gathering their family members, gearing up quickly, and alternate routes and vehicles in mind for their trip. They would also want to have some means of communication in case they got separated.
Before a disaster happens, comfortably behind our keyboards, is the time to think about this stuff and take the precautions we think prudent. So I thank you Grandpa for bringing up the topic, and I thank Jason also for maintaining a forum where we can swap ideas with each other. Thanks, guys.
Parker
ChadTower
Active Member
Install a header for a hand pump. Shouldn't be that major of a project and would save you a gigantic headache if needed.
Cappy
Well-Known Member
Well, if ya live down in Cajun country like we do ya better be prepaired. For a big storm we refer to our camper as our hurricane evacuation trailer. We hitch it up and leave, to come back later and see what's left. Trust me when a big one hits and half a million folks go off the grid for over a month Anarchy reins, so we leave. Smaller storms can knock ya off the grid for several weeks and we just hang around and live off the yard woods and bayou.
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ChadTower
Active Member
It's not just down there. Here in MA we've had two weeklong power outages in the past 12 months.
Cappy
Well-Known Member
Earlier some one mentioned beer. That reminded me of the aftermath of hurricane Gustav. We were off grid about 3 weeks, with lots of trees down and the yard a wreck. Still we fared better than lots of folks. When a neighbor told us the road was clear we fired up da jeep (just in case) and headed to Walmart for a beer run. The store was empty, but thankfully they had the necesities of life beer and bottled water. Here is a slide show we made of our adventure hope ya enjoy it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAfZTUAL3IA&list=UUe6CkaSkPG0EXROyp-xQkjw&index=30&feature=plcp][/url]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAfZTUAL3IA&list=UUe6CkaSkPG0EXROyp-xQkjw&index=30&feature=plcp][/url]
Cappy
Well-Known Member
If ya headin' for South Louisiana Grandpa drop me a note and ifn I'm offn da boat we would be honored to meet you guys.
beemerphill
Member
I am happy that this thread was resurrected. This is a very important subject. When we lived in the country, we always kept at least 6 months of non-perishable food. Now we live in town, and space is more limited. Our pantry can store a months worth easily, and and does at all times. The food is rotated on a regular basis, and is all food that we use every day.
I lived in the country for much of my life, and I like living in town now. Stores, restaurants, and medical services are near and convenient. Paying for city water is easier, and cheaper, that maintaining my own well. Some one else picks up the trash, and shovels the snow.
Bugging out is a last resort. The neighbor to my south is a RN, and is very good people. The retired guy across the road is a machinist, and has a whole building full of tools that he enjoys using for his friends. The other neighbors all have unique and valuable skills, and everyone on this block gets along well. A few of us are retired military with our own special talents.
Our police force is honest, and well-trained.
What would my wife and I gain by becoming refugees?
If there is no other option, we have the equipment, and knowledge to use it. I hope that we never get to the point where it is necessary.
Just figured that I would toss out a different point of view. My guess is that others think the same way.
:tinysmile_grin_t::tinysmile_grin_t:
I lived in the country for much of my life, and I like living in town now. Stores, restaurants, and medical services are near and convenient. Paying for city water is easier, and cheaper, that maintaining my own well. Some one else picks up the trash, and shovels the snow.
Bugging out is a last resort. The neighbor to my south is a RN, and is very good people. The retired guy across the road is a machinist, and has a whole building full of tools that he enjoys using for his friends. The other neighbors all have unique and valuable skills, and everyone on this block gets along well. A few of us are retired military with our own special talents.
Our police force is honest, and well-trained.
What would my wife and I gain by becoming refugees?
If there is no other option, we have the equipment, and knowledge to use it. I hope that we never get to the point where it is necessary.
Just figured that I would toss out a different point of view. My guess is that others think the same way.
:tinysmile_grin_t::tinysmile_grin_t:
Thats great Phill. We are a stay at home as well. Even better, our entire little mountain valley is highly organized for just such a catastrophe.
beemerphill
Member
A book that might shed some light on this subject is:
Alas, Babylon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The book is very dated-1959-but is still worth the read. If more people had the attitude that they develop in the book, it would increase the survival rate in any disaster.
:tinysmile_grin_t::tinysmile_grin_t:
Alas, Babylon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The book is very dated-1959-but is still worth the read. If more people had the attitude that they develop in the book, it would increase the survival rate in any disaster.
:tinysmile_grin_t::tinysmile_grin_t:
catspa
New Member
Phil, having good neighbors you can depend on is a big asset, for sure. You're fortunate to be in that situation, and to have a good police force too. In my county, emergency workers are encouraged to make provisions ahead of time so that they can stay on duty with the confidence that their families have what they need.
So you might find yourself in kind of a "tribal" arrangement with your neighbors, as the book describes. Right at the onset, of course, you'd all be checking on each other and helping out neighbors who needed the immediate basics - food, water, shelter, heat, medical attention. As time goes on, people are going to be trying to check up on their extended families, and it's possible that relatives from harder hit areas will be joining you for a while. If the conditions don't get back to normal pretty quick, you're going to be looking at living without public utilities and services as best you can.
In 1999, when apprehension over Y2K was increasing, my ex-wife and I took some precautions and laid on a little extra preparedness. Once a month, we came home from work on Friday, turned off the power, phone, and water, and basically camped out in our home all weekend. We decided that if anything was going to fail, we wanted to know it beforehand, not when we were depending on it to see us through. So we drained water out of the water heater for drinking and cooking, heated it on the woodstove for laundry and the porta-shower, practiced how to open cans of food with a knife, we tried to think up likely challenges and meet them prior to the moment of truth.
I think the benefits lasted well beyond Y2K (even though nothing happened), and I'd recommend it to anyone making a disaster plan. Practice facing those challenges, and ask each other "What if..."
Parker
So you might find yourself in kind of a "tribal" arrangement with your neighbors, as the book describes. Right at the onset, of course, you'd all be checking on each other and helping out neighbors who needed the immediate basics - food, water, shelter, heat, medical attention. As time goes on, people are going to be trying to check up on their extended families, and it's possible that relatives from harder hit areas will be joining you for a while. If the conditions don't get back to normal pretty quick, you're going to be looking at living without public utilities and services as best you can.
In 1999, when apprehension over Y2K was increasing, my ex-wife and I took some precautions and laid on a little extra preparedness. Once a month, we came home from work on Friday, turned off the power, phone, and water, and basically camped out in our home all weekend. We decided that if anything was going to fail, we wanted to know it beforehand, not when we were depending on it to see us through. So we drained water out of the water heater for drinking and cooking, heated it on the woodstove for laundry and the porta-shower, practiced how to open cans of food with a knife, we tried to think up likely challenges and meet them prior to the moment of truth.
I think the benefits lasted well beyond Y2K (even though nothing happened), and I'd recommend it to anyone making a disaster plan. Practice facing those challenges, and ask each other "What if..."
Parker
Judy Ann
Active Member
Some of us are first responders and will hold down the critical and essential elements in our towns until relief comes. Bugging out is not an option. We have emergency provisions, but may not be able to access them. Hopefully neighbors will help our four legged critters should the need ever arise.
In the aftermath of Katrina I was dismayed to read about lawsuits against medical and hospital staff because they could not keep all of the patients alive. Imagine manually bagging a patient when the generators failed and the ventilators stopped. I wonder how they must have felt when they had to leave the sickest of the sick behind to save the majority of the trapped ill patients. Boats rescued patients and transported them to higher ground to be flown to safety by helicopters. Those employees of the hospital did not have contact with their own families for days. They were not sure if they would survive the aftermath of Katrina.
I guess that I want to remind everyone to be cautious of complacency while sheltered in the equivalent of last century bomb shelters. There are many dedicated police officers, firemen, volunteers, and other members of your communities who have dedicated their lives to helping others...just saying.
In the aftermath of Katrina I was dismayed to read about lawsuits against medical and hospital staff because they could not keep all of the patients alive. Imagine manually bagging a patient when the generators failed and the ventilators stopped. I wonder how they must have felt when they had to leave the sickest of the sick behind to save the majority of the trapped ill patients. Boats rescued patients and transported them to higher ground to be flown to safety by helicopters. Those employees of the hospital did not have contact with their own families for days. They were not sure if they would survive the aftermath of Katrina.
I guess that I want to remind everyone to be cautious of complacency while sheltered in the equivalent of last century bomb shelters. There are many dedicated police officers, firemen, volunteers, and other members of your communities who have dedicated their lives to helping others...just saying.
Just recently got to watch a documentary where one of the people that was interviewed mentioned that anarchy and chaos is just 9 meals away. After that show, my girlfriend and I have been reassessing just how ready we really are when it comes to supplies and stuff in case there is an emergency. But more than that, it really made me think on just how unprepared many people are.
catspa
New Member
EJ, I think for some it's considerably closer...
Parker
Parker
southerngal
Member
- Messages
- 514
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Agreed Catspa. There are a lot more things I would like to have to add to our preparedness supplies, but money is tight and getting tighter by the day. We do have some plans in place in case we need them. I wish we could shelter in place, but with 2 very small children we have decided that being around others we trust would be our best option. Some other books that you might find interesting are Patriots by James Wesley Rawles. I have heard that One Second After by William R. Forstchen is also really good, but I have not read it yet.
georgia_outdoors
New Member
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- 27
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- 0
Grandpa, what measures do you have in place in preparation for "the worst"? What are your recommendations for others? We need some ideas so that we can be prepared if something ever happens.
Well Georgia, in the first place, I cheated and got me a whole passel of good neighbors. Our situation is different because we are very rural, with thousands of cattle in the valley and only about 2000 people. This will be a destination for a lot of people in a major disaster. It will be very difficult for outsiders to get into the valley. Travelers will be interviewed and either turned away or escorted through unless this is their planned destination, in which case they will be escorted to their host familys, all by armed guards. We are all ready very organized and even have had community drills on this very thing. Believe me, the plans in place are much more detailed than what I have said.
As for this family, because we are somewhat remote and depend on outside for supplies, we have always had a food reserve. A winter blizzard sets in and we may not even be able to get into our own town for a week or more. From canning and freezing homegrown, to buy only in case lots when things are on sale. Surviving without outside help will be no problem. Each spring we buy our garden seeds, usually more than we need, then seal them up in food saver bags and open last years seeds for planting. Yes, we even have seeds a year in advance and new shovels to plant by hand if there isn't fuel for the tractors. There are a multitude of good books on how to be prepared, depending on your situation. Being campers and backpackers helps a lot because of all the gear. And in that vein, I even buy my stove cannisters by the case and keep the extra propane bottles filled. I have several, each numbered and when #3 is empty, # 4 will get hooked up because it has the oldest propane and #3 will immediately be refilled.
We buy no food that is not in our daily diet. For this reason, we have had to add rice dishes, bean dishes and homeground wheat flour into our menu's because these things are cheap, and easy to store for long periods of time. In fact, we were just looking at a new flour mill today because our old one just doesn't have the capacity we want. You want good bread? Just try a slice of homemade whole wheat bread with honey. One slice is a meal and it is soooo goood. Thats why I gotta take that long walk this spring.
As for this family, because we are somewhat remote and depend on outside for supplies, we have always had a food reserve. A winter blizzard sets in and we may not even be able to get into our own town for a week or more. From canning and freezing homegrown, to buy only in case lots when things are on sale. Surviving without outside help will be no problem. Each spring we buy our garden seeds, usually more than we need, then seal them up in food saver bags and open last years seeds for planting. Yes, we even have seeds a year in advance and new shovels to plant by hand if there isn't fuel for the tractors. There are a multitude of good books on how to be prepared, depending on your situation. Being campers and backpackers helps a lot because of all the gear. And in that vein, I even buy my stove cannisters by the case and keep the extra propane bottles filled. I have several, each numbered and when #3 is empty, # 4 will get hooked up because it has the oldest propane and #3 will immediately be refilled.
We buy no food that is not in our daily diet. For this reason, we have had to add rice dishes, bean dishes and homeground wheat flour into our menu's because these things are cheap, and easy to store for long periods of time. In fact, we were just looking at a new flour mill today because our old one just doesn't have the capacity we want. You want good bread? Just try a slice of homemade whole wheat bread with honey. One slice is a meal and it is soooo goood. Thats why I gotta take that long walk this spring.
I don't have a two year supply of every item I might ever possibly use in the event of an emergency but I do have enough to live comfortably for a few months. I cook almost everything from scratch so I keep a bulk supply of raw ingredients because it just makes sense economically. I might not have any meat but I would be quite satisfied with my beans and lentils and grains. I have plenty of access to water here so I'd just have to purify it. I also always keep extra supplies of batteries and a battery operated radio.