Getting and staying prepared is not expensive.

[The Hero of Canton]

Lets talk preparedness.

 

2014 we saw this much ice and outages. My rural home had no power for 4 days. Pipes didn't freeze then, and we shelterd in place.

 

Its 10° colder than that this time in N Texas, and this time is going to be a solid 5 full days of cold and no usefull grid power. (But I'm getting power for 1.5 hours every 12 this time:)

 

 And I know this time how bad my neighborhood roads are to get out on. Sinks are trickling to keep flowing, but were working off the plan we formed for that last emergency.

 

I formed a plan, and got a good idea of how fast this can get hairy,  because we scrambled like hell to convert our "camp" into a "house camp" contingency in 2014.

 

If you are struggling now. Take notice of what hurts the worst, and plan to block / buffer that next time.

 

I live in a semi rural setting, on 2 acres. I camp, and hunt, so food with no power in the home is never a problem. BBQ outside over wood, or the camp propane stove boiling watter, frying eggs, and reheating leftovers.

 

We have been thru this before.

Our preps include:

 

15 galons of water we use these all week as normal ( Cost $6 for the cubic container's with spouts.

Filtered water is $3 per) We fill em at Win Co.

 

90days of shelf stable food we like to eat in the pantry. ($500) This is simple- see a sale on wolf chillie? Get 6 instead of 3. Date them, and do this with all long life shelf stable foods. Use a bookshelf in a closet if you dont have a pantry.

 

30 days of food that hungry people eat when in the military, ( $250) Amazon. Get main meals, poundcakes, and other components far cheaper than ordering whole unopened crates. And you get what you will eat.

 

2 propane "buddy" heaters, and the hoses to hook them to a 5 gallon bbq sized tank. ( $210) Amazon prime $80 each -hoses $20 )

 

2 9v carbon monoxide detectors ( $20 The heaters dont produce it, but im paranoid )

 

4 x 5 gallon propane tanks ( $160 refills are $16) These run the heaters for 30hrs on low or 20hrs on high. One is none. Use em normaly for the bbq grill, but refill asap on empties.

 

Camp stoves 2, butane and propane ($20 for 3 burners on amazon, $11 for the propane converter and green lantern propane bottles are $4 each, and can be refilled at home off a 5 gallon tank.) AMAZON PRIME.

 

Camp cookware. $30

 

A reliable gas RV sized electric generator to keep the wifi up, and allow all the phones n tablets to charge.( $250)

 

15 gallons of stabil treated fuel in 5 gal containers, with smaller 1gal containers available, and a siphon hose. ($20 per tank, $4 for stabil + cost of premium gas to fill em siphon is $5) use and rotate the gas for lawn mowers and tillers, or fuel the gen on camping or tailgating outings. Dont leave an empty can laying around. 

 

So for: $1330 ish investment and you are ready for a 5 day power outage in -8° weather in your own home without resuply of propane.

 

.... You are also just 2 tents, sleep gear, and a road trip away from a comfort camp in the wilds at Broken Bow lake in the spring.

 

Get prepared people. Make a plan, and gather the things you need to be self protective. Use your next stimulus checks before inflation hits, these are gravy days.

 

Gather.

[DeaconKC]

Great stuff here! Add to your list at least 2 weeks of prescription meds and spare eyeglasses.

[The Hero of Canton]

It is amazing to me to read the begging, pleading, and denial coming out of the freshly built homeowners around me on social media. 

 

Everyone of em complaining, let their homes freeze up solid. 

 

I have sympathy and pitty, but this is the largest demonstration of how far afield people can get with a large wallet, and paying for problems to just be fixed without involving them selves. 

 

Burst pipes. Refused to deal with the reality they faced in the  three to five day warning we had that this was going to be bad. 

 

"How do I turn off my water?"

 

"How do I heat my all electric giant home?"

 

" I can't get out of my drive way." 

 

"Why are all the stores / restaurants closed?"

 

" How can I cook on a BBQ grill without destroying my cookware?"

 

"Is this a gas or wood chimney and fire place?  ( posts potato photo of mantle)"

 

"How do I keep the pipes in.the unheated garage from bursting? They have frozen! Halp!"

 

" I need firewood! Lowes is out of duraflame logs... who has wood for sale at a reasonable price and can deliver? (Roads Iced over all ready) " 

 

"Where can I find a real big genertor for sale? " (Knows nothing about them, the use, implementation, maintenance, fueling needs, or carbon monoxide dangers.)

 

"I have my pool filter and the equipment wrapped in sleeping bags.... what else can I do to stop them from freezing?" ( Laughs in -18 windchill bitterness)

 

My favorite: " I need the number for a master plumber. My upstairs bathrooms all have cracked toilets...." 

 

 

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

All excellent suggestions.

[Three Foot Johnson]

Here in the foothills of The Great Divide, I don't need to prepare at all to be prepared. I've got two fresh water springs close to the house - about 260 yards one direction and about 120 yards the other direction. I've got an outhouse 30 yards away. There are rabbits, raccoons, game birds, deer, and elk. I've got a 20 or 25 pound bag of beans and another of rice, and at least 3 or 4 cans of coffee between the house & RV's. I bought a semi load of Douglas Fir firewood last fall - 20+ cords, I've got a couple small generators (350w and 3000w) if I need electricity for anything, and the VA sends my Xarelto & Lisinopril to me in the mail. The mailbox is a mile and a half away, at the lower end of the place, but still within "walking distance".

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

I'm seeing several voices of both experience, and good common sense.
Like Paul Harvey said, "I'm listening with both eyes!"

 

 

[Pat Riot]

Hero,

Very good plan. Very good indeed. 
 

I would make a couple of recommendations. Double your water. Add a hand cranked / solar powered radio including emergency weather channels. Candles. 
 

【2021 Newest】RunningSnail Emergency Crank Radio，4000mAh-Solar Hand Crank Portable AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with 1W Flashlight&Motion Sensor Reading Lamp，Cell Phone Charger, SOS for Home and Emergency https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B083TLZN7G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_B34Q97Y1CJ7BV13ZHAX0

Candles like these. You can get them at the Dollar Stores. They last days. 

Glass Assorted Religious Candle, White, Case of 12 (1) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00FPVCOEE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_8KTFWS1XPTTZ2VYXVR8R
 

 

[bgavin]

We live in the 3rd World Banana Republic of CA.

Our section is chronic for power outages, so we prepared accordingly.
The water heater is gas, and operates without 120v power.
Same for the gas fireplace insert.

A 120v inverter powered from the pickup truck eliminates any stale fuel storage.
This is enough to keep the fridge going.
A battery UPS will keep my CPAP going all night long.

I looked into a NatGas powered generator, but the cost is staggeringly expensive.

C19 has taught us to stay well stocked on TP, canned goods, diabetes meds and ammunition.. just in case.
The swimming pool is a source of water, if necessary.
 

[Matthew Duncan]

19 hours ago, The Hero of Canton said:

It is amazing to me to read the begging, pleading, and denial coming out of the freshly built homeowners around me on social media. ...

 

" I can't get out of my drive way." ...

 

 

 

I lost power and I can't my electric garage door to open.

[Choctaw Jack]

Lots of good advice here.Just want to suggest that if you are going to store fuel for your generators or vehicles,try to find non-ethanol gasoline,and treat it with a fuel stabilizer intended for long term storage.Far fewer problems with varnish in the fuel sustems and lasts much longer.

I use it in my motor home and motorcycles.

[Yellowhouse Sam # 25171]

All standard fare for us in rural Oklahoma just northwest of you maybe 120 miles.   You nailed it on the urbanites....don't have a clue.  This guy is out but a lot of what he says is spot on!

Colorado City Texas

[Matthew Duncan]

37 minutes ago, Choctaw Jack said:

Lots of good advice here.Just want to suggest that if you are going to store fuel for your generators...

I converted my generator to LP.  Don't have to remember to rotate gasoline inventory or treat.  I buy 20 pound LP tanks at garage sales for $5. 

[Choctaw Jack]

Matthew I'm in the process of converting to propane also.Been collecting propane tanks for years.Hope to have all of my generators don by this summer.

[Trigger Mike]

After each hurricane that comes through south Georgia I evaluate what would have been better.  

 

A generator is foremost.   Even though I am on a well I keep water because sometimes the pump goes out.  Food and a way to cook it is a must.  

 

Spare medicine is vital.  

 

I keep a back pack with supplies along with extra toothbrushes for everyone at different locations in case you can't get to part of the house due to damage.  

 

A shovel to bury waste as well.  I even bought a camping loo 5 gallon bucket with bags since I know my sensitive ladies won't dig a cat hole outside.   

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

Pat Riot, thank you for that link to the crank/solar radio/charger, and YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!!! in your stating a radio should be on hand.

Reports out of Texas are that the good old AM/FM radio has become the go-to for getting information.

I've had a couple cheap transistor AM/FMs around all my life, still do in spite of my other radio gear, but have been wanting the very one you link-posted!

[Trigger Mike]

I read an article this morning how some Texans recently bought the Ford hybrid f150 that has a generator in the back and how it saved Them.

 

Being hybrid it has gas, verses an electric vehicle that you can't charge when the power goes out.  

 

These Texans ran extension cords into the house to run refrigerators and space heaters.   

[The Hero of Canton]

Waiting for the thaw now. 

 

We made it thru well.

 

On water storage: 

Towns north and south have boil orders on tap watter. 

 

Gas stations that had rolling blackouts froze their pumps. Even buckee's with diesel gensets broke down on day 3. 

 

We went yesterday to refill two 5 galon tanks at the kiosk at winco. 12 people in line. All containers sold out. 

 

So adding to our preps going forward. 

Double the storage capacity, the ability to efficiently boil 5 gallons, and a HV gravity filtration system. 

 

Turkey boiler rig should be atainable cheap at a yardsale. 

 

The others will come available after this panick passes. 

 

Buckees has the ethanol free gas. Thats ideal. 

[Dantankerous]

Too many people do not think ahead or plan. Too many people assume someone else is going to take care of them when something happens. Too many people get too distracted with being entertained instead of paying attention to the real world. And too many people have lost all ability with any sort of mechanical aptitude.

 

Gee, what could go wrong?

 

Hero, great list! Thanks.

[Trigger Mike]

That reminds me, one thing I bought recently is a still.  I think I got it on Amazon.  I got it to purify water since i have 2 small ponds.  No I don't have any corn.  

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

Here is CDC's info on how to sanitize water using ordinary household chlorine bleach.  It only take eight drops to make a gallon of potable water - no boiling required.

 

Costco sells bulk packs of batteries with a 10-year shelf life.  Use them in LED lanterns and they last a long time.  I installed a high-efficiency wood stove in my house when I built it.  I used in back in 2011 during a cold snap like we just had.  I had to be careful using it during the day as it quickly overheated my house.  During warm weather summer I keep my travel trailer full of water to augment my household storage.  The TT is part of my survival capability.  Like other have stated it's not hard or expensive to be prepared. 

 

 

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

Great list, Hero.

 

My solution is simpler. Marry an electrician, have two huge propane tanks, get a propane generator, live in a forest (plenty of oak and well water), get a wood stove. This works with winter or summer outages. When we moved here, we had three outages the first summer.

[Matthew Duncan]

On 2/17/2021 at 2:03 PM, Trigger Mike said:

  ...  A shovel to bury waste as well.  I even bought a camping loo 5 gallon bucket with bags since I know my sensitive ladies won't dig a cat hole outside.   

 

Folks that have their own septic tank with above ground access (for pumping out the septic tank).  Doesn't take much work to take a stool lid off a water starved stool and monkey rig it over the septic ground access, instant outhouse!  Beats using resources to melt snow to fill the stool tank for one flush.  Unless you prescribe to the:

 

If it's yellow, let it mellow.

If it's brown, flush it down.

 

 

[Utah Bob #35998]

Welcome to the 21st century and the state of modern society. It will get worse.

[Trigger Mike]

2 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

Welcome to the 21st century and the state of modern society. It will get worse.

Isn't it weird that as advanced as we are we have more trouble that resembles third world countries.   

[Alpo]

3 minutes ago, Matthew Duncan said:

Doesn't take much work to take a stool lid off a water starved stool and monkey rig it over the septic

That took me a minute. I had never before heard a toilet referred to as a stool. A stool is what comes out of your body and is left in the toilet.

 

If I had a septic tank with topside access, I would put the toilet seat on a five gallon bucket and poop in the bathroom. Then go out and dump it in the septic tank. If it's cold enough that there is snow you need to melt to get water, it's cold enough I don't want to be squatting over anything outside.

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

On 2/16/2021 at 11:20 PM, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Hero,

Very good plan. Very good indeed. 
 

I would make a couple of recommendations. Double your water. Add a hand cranked / solar powered radio including emergency weather channels. Candles. 
 

【2021 Newest】RunningSnail Emergency Crank Radio，4000mAh-Solar Hand Crank Portable AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with 1W Flashlight&Motion Sensor Reading Lamp，Cell Phone Charger, SOS for Home and Emergency https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B083TLZN7G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_B34Q97Y1CJ7BV13ZHAX0

Candles like these. You can get them at the Dollar Stores. They last days. 

Glass Assorted Religious Candle, White, Case of 12 (1) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00FPVCOEE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_8KTFWS1XPTTZ2VYXVR8R
 

 

Another suggestion, we have some old fashion kerosene lamps and lanterns. Stock up on lamp oil, not kerosene. No bad smell. Also saw one on FB where people had put flashlights inside milk jugs. Made a dandy lamp. Gonna save me a couple three of those if I can keep DW from throwing them away. Academy sells (or at least used to) old time kerosene lanterns that weren't expensive at all.

JHC

[Matthew Duncan]

3 minutes ago, Alpo said:

That took me a minute. I had never before heard a toilet referred to as a stool. A stool is what comes out of your body and is left in the toilet....

 

Stool, toilet or water closet.  All depends on what part of the country y'all are from.

 

 

[Trigger Mike]

Hobby lobby sells candle holders like lanterns with glass to put candles in or a civil war reenacter store.   

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

12 minutes ago, Trigger Mike said:

Hobby lobby sells candle holders like lanterns with glass to put candles in or a civil war reenacter store.   

Saw another one on FB where you get some old time lamp wicks and stick in a can of Crisco, have a candle that burns for days and days.

JHC

[Happy Jack, SASS #20451]

The BIGGEST joy of living "off the grid" .  CQ and I have been off the grid for 25+ years now. Keep 3 years of diesel, 2 years of propane, At least 3 months of water above ground (have a well a mile away but 10,000 gallons of storage tanks above ground.)  Have at least a months worth of easy food and almost a year's worth MRE's, freeze dried, etc. in cold underground storage if things get really bad. Have 4 diesel generators, 4 gas generators, plenty of solar panels and 2 48 volt 500 amp hour battery banks. (one at each location on the property) Satellite internet and TV so live pretty normal lives. Things would go bad and the only way we would know would be the TV or internet quit working.

[Utah Bob #35998]

40 minutes ago, Trigger Mike said:

Isn't it weird that as advanced as we are we have more trouble that resembles third world countries.   

Problem is that in “advancing” we discard a lot of the basic knowledge and experience from the past as obsolete and no longer necessary.
Why should I know how to bait a hook? The supermarket is just 2 blocks away. 

Change a tire? Triple A is a phone vcall away.

[Badlands Bob #61228]

Most people have at lest 40 gallons of fresh water stored in their houses all the time.  Check out your hot water heater.  It's got a spigot on the bottom for draining.  It's full of fresh water.  

[Pat Riot]

Something else people should consider is one’s neighbors. Being prepared to take care of your own also means prepping one’s neighbors. I do not mean prepping them as you do for yourself, but prepping them with information to also prepare themselves. It’s amazing how taking care of your own could very easily make one a pariah in their own community. 
 

Take it from me, you should let your neighbors know where you stand on sharing or not sharing with them should there be an emergency. 
 

 

[Dantankerous]

26 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Something else people should consider is one’s neighbors. Being prepared to take care of your own also means prepping one’s neighbors. I do not mean prepping them as you do for yourself, but prepping them with information to also prepare themselves. It’s amazing how taking care of your own could very easily make one a pariah in their own community. 
 

Take it from me, you should let your neighbors know where you stand on sharing or not sharing with them should there be an emergency. 
 

 

 

Yup. Or don't ever tell them what you have so you don't wind up with a bullseye on your back...

 

 

[Alpo]

4 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Something else people should consider is one’s neighbors. Being prepared to take care of your own also means prepping one’s neighbors. I do not mean prepping them as you do for yourself, but prepping them with information to also prepare themselves. It’s amazing how taking care of your own could very easily make one a pariah in their own community. 
 

Take it from me, you should let your neighbors know where you stand on sharing or not sharing with them should there be an emergency. 
 

 

A survival board I used to be on many years back.

 

Someone posted the question - what would you do? The fecal matter has seriously struck the rotary oscillator. The power is off. The trucks are not running to the grocery store, so the grocery store sold out quickly.

 

Somebody calls a neighborhood meeting, and declaring himself the chairman announces that what we need to do is go through everyone's house and make an inventory of what everyone has, so it can be shared out equally to what everyone needs. What would you do? Would you show them your preps? Would you show them some of your preps? Would you tell them that you were in the same boat as the rest of them, that you didn't have anything, and you really needed some supplies?

 

I said I would shoot him in the face, and then tell the stunned neighbors that it was idiots like that that had got us into this problem.

 

Nobody seem to think that was a good idea.

 

I had a co-worker. He lived in a singles apartment on the beach. Probably a third of his paycheck went to his rent. He had a new truck. Another third of his paycheck went to truck payments. He said when the race war happened he was going to come to my house, because I had guns and ammunition.

 

I told him if the race war happened and he showed up at my house I would shoot him dead and drag his body out into the street for the feral cats and raccoons to eat.

 

I don't know if he ever started preparing for disaster, but he never again suggested living off me.