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Ok guys you gave me a lot to think about and I appreciate it. But turns out... I cannot be a "real" prepper because there are just some things I am unwilling to do.
The fact that you have 'awoken' to the issue makes you a 'prepper'. You are as 'real' as any of us.
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... - Moving Away: Though I do plan on moving south when I retire -- in about 10 years, I cannot do that now. Basically that would be asking me to give up my real world life for the potential of a catastrophic event. My job offers me a pension which I don't get if I leave. So, basically it would be foolish to leave.
I understand. I stayed in my career for their pension too.
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... if disaster struck you would find people who you could team up with.
Does not have to be family, there may be support groups in your area, neighbors that you may locate.
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... I have looked hard at it and in the event of an EMP attack that plays out as preppers state --most likely -- I would die. Time to accept that one and move on. There is just too much against me.
... - I do feel like a lot of sick and weak people will die immediately (almost willingly) and those people's homes and supplies will be a plentiful supply for those who would use force.
I live in the state with the oldest average age. Many retirees migrate here. The media boasts of Florida as the 'retirement' state, but they do not have as high a percentage of retirees as Maine has. We get a lot of elderly from the Carolinas and Montana moving here. As such many have diabetes, multiple heart surgeries, etc, which has left them dependent on prescription drugs. When SHTF many will die simply because they run out of their prescriptions.
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...1. Water, yes, I have stocked up on that. I also got the lifestraw (REI is a great place)
2. Food, still working on my supplies but they have increased substantially. I have put 1/2 in the basement and 1/2 on my second floor.
3. As I mentioned I am learning to shoot and get a gun. Just something I have been wanting to learn for a while... so even if it won't make any difference seems like a smart move.
All good things
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... 4. I am still stuck on the heating thing. The terra-cotta thing doesn't seem like it would really work. Seriously some smart prepper should work on a real solution.
Most heating systems require that you burn fuel [wood, propane, kerosene, oil, etc]. In winter a lot of fuel needs to be burned with those systems. It is hard to get around it.
We are installing a Solar Thermal system to see if we can avoid the need to burn stuff.
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... 5. I have gotten some cash and distributed it in decent hiding spots which includes all the places I could possibly be. I am looking into silver but I seem to feel like Barter would be most valuable in a long term disaster.
6. I will take a first aid class. My workplace apparently offers them. That just seems smart. I actually have a flex spending account that I an use to buy every single medical thing in the world so.. I will be buying tons of medical supplies.
Overall I have devoted a portion of my budget to this and will slowly over time keep adding things.
You are smart.
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A couple of thoughts:
- guns are largely hated up in Boston. So basically I find it hard to believe that there would be that many roaming bands of scary people coming for me. At least not right away. I think it is doable that I could go 6 months without trouble.
- We have some of the smartest people (scientists) up here so I feel like they might be able to come up with good ideas that could help people in the area. Just about 10 miles from me is the army base where they make MRIs. How annoying that I used to live right next door.
I hope that you are right.
I think you meant 'MRE'. The Army doesn't make them. They are made by civilian corporations through contracts. Military bases stock them. Also many civilian municipalities stock them as a feature of 'Civil Defense/Preparedness' formed during the Cold War era. Boston should have many public bomb shelters with locked supply rooms filled with MREs.
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... - What about the idea of other countries coming in to help us? It seems plausible that humanitarian aid could be dropped as long as you could make it long enough. What am I missing there?
The USA is large and the natural boundaries that protect us from invasion are HUGE [Atlantic and Pacific oceans]. Canada and Mexico are close by, but any event to hurt us will likely hurt them too.
Countries most likely to offer aid are small countries, and the trip to reach us is a long trip.
You two have ignored requests to justify religious dogma in what is supposed to be a simple practical thread. Why?
We didn't inject the religious angle. You did.
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Originally Posted by Happy in Wyoming
I noticed that neither he nor his fellow inspired by the "inspirational" book have commented on what I believe is evil and immoral behavior which the author describes approvingly.
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The topic of the thread was EMP and staying warm.
The book you most vehemently object to is about an EMP, not religion, and if you understood the setting and the audience, the situations and choices would make sense. As you cannot make sense of it, I suspect you haven't even read it, but rather, just got your information from someone else.
The other book had some discussion about how to stay warm, as well as being a book that if she had read it, would have told me something about her. I never recommended it, but I wanted to know if she had read it.
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I refuse to let the two of you duck this. Either admit that your position is "faith-based" or stop trying to proselytize. The two of you are trying to shove your particular religious beliefs down our throats. This is not the Religion forum.
We will not answer your religiously motivated questions here.
I consider them "off topic."
If you want to discuss the moral aspects of decisions made by people in North Carolina, I suggest a different thread. Maybe even a different forum.
Furthermore, I am done discussing anything with you in this thread.
- Moving Away: Though I do plan on moving south when I retire -- in about 10 years, I cannot do that now.
There are "urban preppers" in this world.
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Moving to a desolated area: I think even when I move I cannot move to a desolated area.
I don't know your definition of a "desolate area" but if it is anything like mine, I couldn't move there either
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But I suspect that if disaster struck you would find people who you could team up with.
While it is better to that ahead of time, there have been people who did it after the "crash"
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I have looked hard at it and in the event of an EMP attack that plays out as preppers state --most likely -- I would die.
Nobody lives forever. The idea is to give yourself an edge, so you can make it a few more months. Give yourself time to "find people who you could team up with." As I have stated before, no one knows what things will look like a year after an EMP. There are just too many variables.
And even without an EMP, getting some supplies and a strategy together may make you a lot better off if there is just a long term power outage (we almost had one of those last week).
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4. I am still stuck on the heating thing. The terra-cotta thing doesn't seem like it would really work. Seriously some smart prepper should work on a real solution.
Variations of "that terra-cotta thing" have been used in England for years, because traditional heating fuel is taxed and tea lights are not. That is a little known reason you can buy them in bulk. As I have said, I don't know about a whole room, but a couple of times, in this thread, someone has brought up making something like a "blanket fort" or cave. Sofa on one side and some chairs on the other, table in the middle for some roof support. Now you only have one third of a room to heat.
Kerosene has also been brought up. A few posts down the road, I was going to discuss Carbon Monoxide and your basement, but didn't want to overwhelm you by giving you a book in a single thread. Besides, my hands get tired of typing
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6. I will take a first aid class. My workplace apparently offers them. That just seems smart.
Very smart. I tell my friends "there will be a day when people will not care if their car is fixed, and may look at their house and say "let it burn." But people will always want their body fixed. I know of one guy who survived by bartering his medical skills (he was a nurse) for stuff he needed. Like food.
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It seems the prepper community is large.. wouldn't that alone lessen the impact and promote survival? Say 25% of the population is already ready?
As I have mentioned before, the prepper community is currently about 9% (more or less, probably less) of the population. The max it will ever be is 12%. Yes, that will make a difference. One of my reasons for prepping is so I (hopefully) will not be the one who is a burden on others in a crisis.
Other countries helping the U.S.? I don't know. Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn't. They have their own problems. I will let the "Kings of the Earth" (or the Priest Kings of Gor, or Asimov's Galactic Emperors) if some people prefer) figure out what other countries will do. My job extends to myself and those I come into contact with.
I hope we haven't run you off by bringing every river of thought under the sun into this thread. Everybody has to start somewhere, and there is always more to learn. Remember, it is a journey.
I'm up in northern Maine, living off the grid, and still working on self-sufficiency.
One of the best and cheapest things you can do, is to think about all the actions you take each day (not at work). You buy non-perishable food, but how do you cook it? Answer: use a small $25 butane stove, which is safe to use indoors. You want coffee or something to drink? Next time you go shopping, buy some extra 1 gallon bottles of water. You need some way to wash up? Invest in a Water-Bob to place in your bathtub. There will be running water for at least a short while, so fill it up. It will hold 100 gallons of clean water! How will you take care of bathroom functions? Get a 5 gallon bucket, a Luggable Loo plastic seat for it, and some bagged sawdust. Stock up on toilet paper, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and whatever else you use daily.
Staying warm in the northeast is easy if you forget about "systems". Get yourself a kerosene heater, and buy a few gallons of kero once in awhile, to stock up. It doesn't ever go bad. Store some extra gas, also, say an extra 20 gallons, but that will have to be rotated out twice yearly. What will you light with? I recommend battery powered lanterns - much safer than candles. Yes, you can use oil lamps, but do you have pets?
Finally, preparing for just one type of event does not make you a prepper. You are concerned about an EMP. That is far down on my list of priorities. Don't worry about NK. Worry about the dollar, about inflation, about ATMs going down. Do you keep extra $$$ in CASH? You should!
Thank you. This is what I was going to say. Start from the beginning. Think about what you do, need, every day, week, month.
Water, food, shelter. You may have a lot of bottled water, but what if you run out? Are there any bodies of water near your house? How far away? If you live near a lake or stream, that would work. You'd have empty gallon jugs. What if it's a bit too far to carry more than a couple of gallons if you have to walk? How about a bike with sturdy front and rear baskets? A backpack with a 5 gallon water bladder? Know several ways to treat it for use.
Food is easy if you don't have to travel. Canned, dried, and shelf stable food is readily available. If you have to move around and carry food, freeze dried meals and even the dreaded MREs are your friend. The chili and sausage patties are decent.
Housing and heat. Is your neighborhood all electric? No utility gas? That presents several problems: light, cooking, heat. Light is pretty easy. You can use candles, batteries, and oil. Have all three on hand. Always have batteries. Buy a camp stove and keep plenty of fuel on hand. When it's cold in the house, a nice hot drink does wonders. Speaking of cold, buy some world class heavy duty long underwear and a sleeping bag rated to 0 degrees. You won't freeze to death.
This is my first time posting in the Preparedness forum, but I was intrigued by Emily's post. Most of the responses have been spot on, but let me add just a few ideas. FWIW, I'm in Los Angeles so what I prep for primarily is the impending 8+ earthquake which could come at any moment. Let's start with water. You really can't have too much. Aside from drinking water, also think about water for other uses, like sanitation. When the water goes off, the toilets won't flush. Aside from the tons of cases of bottled water, I keep (many) 5 gallon potable water jugs around the house so that I can bathe and flush the toilets. The second thing that hasn't been mentioned is a simple fuel siphon. Sure it's fun to poke holes in your gas tank to get gas, but it's much simpler to use a $ 5.00 siphon from the auto parts store. I have a 2,000 watt Honda generator, so gas is important. Lastly, buy a small propane camping stove or barbecue to heat your food. Keep a filled tank around. Also, be aware that when your neighbors bug out, the last thing they'll think to take is the propane tank on their BBQ outside, so you can "appropriate" theirs if you run out. Another thing you can't have enough of is ammo.Keep it cool & dry and it will last forever and is probably a better bartering item than silver. Just a few thoughts, good luck Emily.
Let's start with water. You really can't have too much. Aside from drinking water, also think about water for other uses, like sanitation. When the water goes off, the toilets won't flush. Aside from the tons of cases of bottled water, I keep (many) 5 gallon potable water jugs around the house so that I can bathe and flush the toilets. The second thing that hasn't been mentioned is a simple fuel siphon. Sure it's fun to poke holes in your gas tank to get gas, but it's much simpler to use a $ 5.00 siphon from the auto parts store.
All great ideas. I have started taking the bottles of water that I consumed water out of and filling them with tap. That water will be segregated as the "bathing" water and, if necessary, drinking water (or bartering water) I also bought some super cheap baby wipes which will probably help with the bathing.
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Are there any bodies of water near your house? How far away?
It is odd once you start focusing on this stuff what you see. Coming home tonight I noticed on my route, near my condo IS a large body of water. A lake or a pond that is not visible to most people. Because houses are in front of it. On the other side of the lake and beside the homes is a hunting area. Where I have personally witnessed wild Turkeys and deer. I also noticed one of the houses had chickens. And yes, this is only a few miles outside of Boston. On the other side of this area is an equestrian center. Horses! Not that I can ride. Another thing to learn.
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When it's cold in the house, a nice hot drink does wonders. Speaking of cold, buy some world class heavy duty long underwear and a sleeping bag rated to 0 degrees. You won't freeze to death.
I am somewhat confident of that. I have had the power go out before in 30 degree weather and it took a long time for the house to get down to anything concerning. It might be touch and go some nights but usually the sun is so strong during the day it heats up the house. So every day the house might go up 12 degrees and then down 7 and then up 12 and down 7. But I still say surely someone can come up with something. A wood stove that has a vent you can put out the window like the portable Air Conditioning. Crowdfunding stat!
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Other countries helping the U.S.? I don't know. Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn't. They have their own problems. I will let the "Kings of the Earth" (or the Priest Kings of Gor, or Asimov's Galactic Emperors) if some people prefer) figure out what other countries will do. My job extends to myself and those I come into contact with.
I don't see them doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. I see it as a mandatory thing. Their economy is only as good as ours. It is in every single country's best interest to get the US back, up, and running as soon as possible. The hit they will take will be bad enough from say 6 months without anyone from the US doing anything. They will do everything possible to get us back up. I could see the UK / Europe over here within 6 weeks. I could see my being so close to the ocean as an asset to getting supplies from large ships coming in for humanitarian relief. Even if Canada and Mexico couldn't help.
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I think you meant 'MRE'. The Army doesn't make them. They are made by civilian corporations through contracts. Military bases stock them. Also many civilian municipalities stock them as a feature of 'Civil Defense/Preparedness' formed during the Cold War era. Boston should have many public bomb shelters with locked supply rooms filled with MREs.
Perhaps they don't but the place I used to live next to used to create them? I had a client who worked doing that. I would imagine they would be stocked. Oh that is another thing... my state would surely have emergency supplies. Yes, it wouldn't last forever but would be another way to stall the roaming bands of killers.
All great ideas. I have started taking the bottles of water that I consumed water out of and filling them with tap. That water will be segregated as the "bathing" water and, if necessary, drinking water (or bartering water) I also bought some super cheap baby wipes which will probably help with the bathing.
It is odd once you start focusing on this stuff what you see. Coming home tonight I noticed on my route, near my condo IS a large body of water. A lake or a pond that is not visible to most people. Because houses are in front of it. On the other side of the lake and beside the homes is a hunting area. Where I have personally witnessed wild Turkeys and deer. I also noticed one of the houses had chickens. And yes, this is only a few miles outside of Boston. On the other side of this area is an equestrian center. Horses! Not that I can ride. Another thing to learn.
I am somewhat confident of that. I have had the power go out before in 30 degree weather and it took a long time for the house to get down to anything concerning. It might be touch and go some nights but usually the sun is so strong during the day it heats up the house. So every day the house might go up 12 degrees and then down 7 and then up 12 and down 7. But I still say surely someone can come up with something. A wood stove that has a vent you can put out the window like the portable Air Conditioning. Crowdfunding stat!
I don't see them doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. I see it as a mandatory thing. Their economy is only as good as ours. It is in every single country's best interest to get the US back, up, and running as soon as possible. The hit they will take will be bad enough from say 6 months without anyone from the US doing anything. They will do everything possible to get us back up. I could see the UK / Europe over here within 6 weeks. I could see my being so close to the ocean as an asset to getting supplies from large ships coming in for humanitarian relief. Even if Canada and Mexico couldn't help.
Perhaps they don't but the place I used to live next to used to create them? I had a client who worked doing that. I would imagine they would be stocked. Oh that is another thing... my state would surely have emergency supplies. Yes, it wouldn't last forever but would be another way to stall the roaming bands of killers.
You're already on a good path. Just being aware of your surroundings and available resources is already a huge improvement.
Just think...that body of water probably has fish in it. Learn to fish and you can benefit more from it...
Look on Google earth satellite pictures of your area. I bet there are more hidden ponds lake and streams than you realize. Look for alternate means of travel in the event you want to avoid the highway. Are there any railway or power line rights of way that would benefit you to travel or get you where you need to go? Have multiple ways to get places memorized in your head
Etc... Just some general ideas.
There's an interesting book to read that teaches all sorts of random skills that potentially may be useful someday.
Here is another book written by An investigative journalist Ted Koppel. He is a left wing leaning journalist and I think he openly admits he was skeptical at first. But upon doing research and interviewing very high level government leaders he became alarmed enough to begin prepping himself. The book is dry but interesting and worth a read.
The second thing that hasn't been mentioned is a simple fuel siphon. Sure it's fun to poke holes in your gas tank to get gas, but it's much simpler to use a $ 5.00 siphon from the auto parts store.
Mike, I believe many if not all gas tanks have a mesh screen in the filler tube just above the tank. This serves two purposes, one to keep foreign debris out of the tank, second to stop people from doing what your are advocating, siphoning fuel.
Mike, I believe many if not all gas tanks have a mesh screen in the filler tube just above the tank. This serves two purposes, one to keep foreign debris out of the tank, second to stop people from doing what your are advocating, siphoning fuel.
Or a check valve at the bottom of the tank were the filler tube enters.
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