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Rule of thumb is at least 1 gallon per day per person and don't forget pets. I would feel safer with 2.
Start with buying extra of things you normally eat that have a decent shelf life. Supermarkets always have some on sale so just buy a few extra each trip: canned and dry beans, tuna, canned meats such as chicken and deviled ham veggies, cookies and crackers, shelf stable milk, juices and drinks, batteries, LED flashlights and lanterns, coffee, tea, cocoa, chips and such, TOILET PAPER, feminine supplies (can also be used for medical) even if you are male, antibiotic cream/ointment, bandaids, larger bandages, ace bandage, gauze, tape, scissors, individual alcohol swabs, fever reducers and pain relief; advil, tylenol, aspercreme/ben gay. Some people will have recommendations for more serious medical supplies, but this is a start for most common injuries.
Mini versions of this are good for EDC and the car.
These are all good items. Stocking up on what you already buy is best. If you can afford it, get a kerosene stove for heating in an emergency. Dietz lanterns are cheap and better than candles. Kerosene is safe to store in the house. Only use K-1.
Get some prescription refills early and get the largest you can. I get six months at a time on my only prescription and last filled it four months early. Ask your doc for a prescription to Amoxycillin. Get something that you know works for diarrhea. Unfortunately, opiates are best. If your dog has diarrhea, your vet will give you paregoric if the milder stuff doesn't work. Have some laxatives on hand as well. Eating different foods can constipate you.
See if you can find a Red Cross first aid course online.
Keep your immune system strong: do not diet; do not exercise apart from normal and necessary activities. You can do that after the threat has passed.
I lived in the Chicago area in 1957. My school, private, was closed for a week. Eighty percent of both students and faculty were out. It's a crap shoot when there's an epidemic. I had the Asian flu early; my case was mild. My father was knocked out for over a week; my mother never had the slightest problem.
Viruses survive best in cold weather.
There's no threat worse than an epidemic. I'm scared.
Rule of thumb is at least 1 gallon per day per person and don't forget pets. I would feel safer with 2.
Start with buying extra of things you normally eat that have a decent shelf life. Supermarkets always have some on sale so just buy a few extra each trip: canned and dry beans, tuna, canned meats such as chicken and deviled ham veggies, cookies and crackers, shelf stable milk, juices and drinks, batteries, LED flashlights and lanterns, coffee, tea, cocoa, chips and such, TOILET PAPER, feminine supplies (can also be used for medical) even if you are male, antibiotic cream/ointment, bandaids, larger bandages, ace bandage, gauze, tape, scissors, individual alcohol swabs, fever reducers and pain relief; advil, tylenol, aspercreme/ben gay. Some people will have recommendations for more serious medical supplies, but this is a start for most common injuries.
Mini versions of this are good for EDC and the car.
as far as food goes, I use the old adage. buy what you normally eat, use what you normally eat and stockpile what you normally eat. that way it is not a shock to your system in a SHTF situation.
it is fine to have a few days of freeze dried for your bob, but not for your main supply.
if you decide to have MRE's on hand, then feed them to your family at least 3-4 times a week to have them get used to them until their bodies are used to them, because they can be quite the shock to the body.
water? 1 gallon is what they say, I have enough on hand for 3 gallons a day in an emergency situation.
firearms? I would say get out of any state that is not firearm friendly, one of the many reasons I moved to Wyoming.
You need to not wait till your medications run out. My mother has two meds and I try to stockpile them by not waiting till the bottles are empty. You have to keep in mind the expiration dates though and have a system where you are reminded to throw out the expired pills. Always have as much med as you can because there's no sure way you will have them available when a crisis hits. It is scary to not have meds available - life or death sometimes.
It's hard with the meds as many can't be refilled early. I'm on a med that used to be very expensive (patent wore out so it's cheaper now). The pills are splitable. So, I had my doctor start writing the script for double the dose so I can cut them in a splitter. At the time, it cut my costs in half since I could renew every other month instead of monthly. Now I save the extras - mostly since I'm not sure of my insurance situation and may not be able to afford it in the future. It's not a life saving script, but it keeps 54-hour migraines away.
So, there's an idea many of you can use. See if your doc would be willing to double dose essential meds for you to cut.
It's hard with the meds as many can't be refilled early. I'm on a med that used to be very expensive (patent wore out so it's cheaper now). The pills are splitable. So, I had my doctor start writing the script for double the dose so I can cut them in a splitter. At the time, it cut my costs in half since I could renew every other month instead of monthly. Now I save the extras - mostly since I'm not sure of my insurance situation and may not be able to afford it in the future. It's not a life saving script, but it keeps 54-hour migraines away.
So, there's an idea many of you can use. See if your doc would be willing to double dose essential meds for you to cut.
That is true about how they can't be refilled early - I did that a couple of months ago and they said they couldn't refill it, so now I don't do it too early. That is a great idea that you had!
or, if a pill isn't splitable (i know, not a word) see if s/he will write a 2x a day instead. take one, save the other.
Just make sure you rotate and consume the oldest ones first
They are splittable pills; in fact, one of the pills is a split half. I put the older pills in a different bottle with the exp. date on them and have her take the older ones.
With all this Ebola talk it is getting scary out there.
Friends, that's all it is -- talk. In the words of an earlier time, "they're talking through their hats." To translate for the later generations, this means that the media is speaking from a position of emotion rather than truth -- what they've been saying is entirely lacking in information or facts or data; only speculation and "the sky is falling" logic. To make matters worse, the American media is not speaking to inform; they're only speaking to improve their ratings.
Now, back to the Original Question -- Do you have enough for 30 days?
Not just "yes", but "HECK YES!" I live in earthquake country, you see, so I'm always prepared with at least a 30-day supply that I can stretch to 60 days if necessary.
Contrary to popular (media) opinion, the sky is nowhere the point where it begins to fall. With all due respect, folks, GET A GRIP.
Regards,
-- Nighteyes
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Meds
