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Question Of The Month. (June 2018) (How Long To Prep For)

carbinemike

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"Philanthropist"
Howdy,
This is a monthly series of questions topic for everyone to join in on the discussion. Some questions may have a poll, and some will not. Don't be shy now, go ahead and post an answer and vote in the polls.

In a crisis situation, how long should a household be prepared to survive?
 
I have gone for more than 2 straight weeks without power and water and fuel following a pretty big snow storm before.

And that's just a winter storm.

So, I'm going to say at least a months worth of food/water alone. Plus emergency fuel for heat and cooking and everything else that you can't live without. Medicines, femine hygiene stuff, diapers and formula for babies, etc.

The big 3 for survival is water, food, shelter. Add #4 heat in the cold seasons.
 
I have gone for more than 2 straight weeks without power and water and fuel following a pretty big snow storm before.

And that's just a winter storm.

So, I'm going to say at least a months worth of food/water alone. Plus emergency fuel for heat and cooking and everything else that you can't live without. Medicines, femine hygiene stuff, diapers and formula for babies, etc.

The big 3 for survival is water, food, shelter. Add #4 heat in the cold seasons.

By the way John, thanks. Your post in Work Safe on being prepared was the inspiration for this month's question.
 
I live in a metro area of close to one million people. I have a place to go to get away from the chaos that would erupt there.

I would hope a couple of weeks would suffice. Having no electricity takes away most conveniences folks are accustomed to these days.
 
It's actually pretty nice to be without power for a while. Long as you have heat or don't get too hot in the summer.
 
If I was living on Lake of the Woods I'd be giving a totally different answer.

Since we live in the desert water is the major concern. You should have water for 1 week.

I have enough on hand for several days without having to drain fish tanks and boil water. There's an extra 200 gallons if we decide we have to drink the water & eat my fish to survive.

I have enough liquor for 2 years, and food for 2 weeks, but we will run out of milk in 2 days.

If you have solar panels here electricity is not a problem to run the basic necessities, but air conditioning will be out of the question if the power is off.

I have some 12 volt fans and that's about it. Lots of batteries available but no generator.
 
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I would say at least a month, but in a zombie scenario, at least 6 months. Essentially I should be able to get along with out electricity by having solar panels to generate it. But, I don't have room for that here. I have plenty of animals to hunt for a lil while for meat, and I have heirloom veggies and apple trees. But I need to find some water source....
 
I read my last post three times and edited it twice and I still didn't answer the basic question.

I guess it's because it totally depends on what constitutes a crisis situation where you live.

Here it would be extreme summer heat and lack of water. There hasn't been a blizzard here in hundreds of years. Four out of five years we have a drought.

There are no hurricanes and there has not been a real tornado of any magnitude. We could have a flood perhaps. Totally freak rain storms that happen once every five hundred years. The water table would have to come up about 300 feet to get me.

Now if we're talking some kind of a socio-political crisis, it could be bottomless.

This is practically the breadbasket of the nation and also the biggest Dairy producing region. We won't suffer for food unless there's contamination problems from Fallout or plague.

If more than a few chaotic days pass where I live, and things are not relatively normal, I will be heading elsewhere fast.
 
In a crisis situation, how long should a household be prepared to survive?

In this discussion I'll be a thief and steal John A's answer: "So, I'm going to say at least a months worth of food/water alone. Plus emergency fuel for heat and cooking and everything else that you can't live without. Medicines, femine hygiene stuff, diapers and formula for babies, etc."

I think that is a doable approach for most families.

Then I'll steal Cadd's statement: "water is the major concern. I have enough on hand for several days without having to drain fish tanks and boil water. I have enough liquor for 2 years, and food for 2 weeks, but we will run out of milk in 2 days."

Actually, I don't have fish tanks to drain, but H2O will last about a week. Residual liquor is nil but not zero.

After I run out and it gets critical I'd try to get to a non-crisis area where my money is still good. Otherwise I guess I'd have to be a thief and steal your supplies. Actually, I'd try to work for your instead.

I will probably die of old age or stupidity before such a crisis hits here. But now you've got me thinking.

upload_2018-6-4_21-12-37.jpeg
 
I guess the liquor thing is all relative because my use is very low.

I know guys who could go through my Supply in 2 weeks if they try
 
I guess the liquor thing is all relative because my use is very low.

I know guys who could go through my Supply in 2 weeks if they try

Liquor could used for bartering, as could ammo.

Also, if one wears glasses an extra pair could be essential.
 
There is no time limit for how long one should be able to survive ..... the goal should be forever . By the time it comes around you’ll be sitting pretty good . Space for storage being the limiting factor I suppose

great post......here we are thinking small.....
pow....there it is.


:good:
 
There is no time limit for how long one should be able to survive ..... the goal should be forever . By the time it comes around you’ll be sitting pretty good . Space for storage being the limiting factor I suppose
I was wondering when that thought would pop up.
 
So I’m gonna go with anything I say to follow up Oli’s post is pretty much moot now. LOL.

I stock as much as I can afford. And, we do have a good stock of emergency supplies, but more would be better.

My thoughts always range to the whole urban / rural scenarios. I truly believe hanging out here in the burbs for more than a couple days post disaster is a really bad idea. I’m gonna guess that I’m better equipped and armed than 95% of the people around me for several blocks at least maybe more. Which in itself poses a problem if the house is not habitable...all my gear will be on display. That bothers me...a lot. The only other shooter in my family is Dad, he’s 81 and not at all steady on his feet and his hands shake. My lil girl can shoot but she’s really rusty and not conditioned to it at all. Wifey is not a shooter...but she’d kick your ass if she had too. LOL! I think her survival instinct would be vicious. Bugging out with an elderly person is less than ideal. But staying put I think is worse.

Getting out will be the hard part. We’re surrounded by mountains and rivers to the north, east and south. And bordered by the Pacific to the west. It’s really pretty...but it will be a bugger to escape. They gubment has determined that 2 of the 3 major routes out and the only one that doesn’t cross a river will be designated for emergency traffic only, “disaster response routes” and not open to the public.

A boat is the logical answer but it’s not practical. Moorage is ridiculous and towing a trailer (boat has to be large to be useful...no car-toppers here) would likely be daunting if not impossible depending on the type of disaster scenario.

I hate to say it but I know where boats are moored. If it got bad enough and I was desperate to get the family out and there was no other way...I might cave and hafta steal one. I’d try to buy one or trade for one first. Perhaps someone would take my truck in trade??? I dunno.

I could get us within 12 miles of our cabin that way. But then it’s the walk...Dad is slow. Really slow. Where we’d jump back to land it’s a convergence of waterways and highways. Likely another dangerous place. Find a vehicle and get the heck to the cabin. Stock up on food and water and figure out next moves. Staying there is also sketchy...too close to the highway. Recoup for a couple days for Dads sake and push northeast.

I could go on.......:brick:
 
I hope to never have to bug out. The only way I foresee that happening is a major NBC (nuke/bio/chem) problem and I wouldn't even guarantee that I would leave then unless I just had to, barring major air quality problems like Yellowstone blowing with dust/debris being carried in the jet stream or something like that. We actually did get ash following Mount St. Helens erupting so I know it can happen and is possible.

Otherwise, I feel pretty safe where I'm at. And if not, the cabin is within walking distance, and not too rough going for most of it. In a bad enough situation, I could try to use my ATV if it's too impassable for vehicles. Plus I have a few different routes that I could take on the roads, and a railroad track, and even a river if I wanted to wade that far.

It's the nature of people in a prolonged disaster is where there will be problems. I can see a few of these neighbors feeling bitter and entitled. And not to mention don't never underestimate a grumbling tummy.
 
In my area I will confrontated -maybe- with forest fires, flooding (we live between two rivers), power outage (with all the following consequences... heating, lighting, electricity, refuelling, withdrawing money, paying for purchases electronically). accident with chemical truck on the very near highway.
All this possible desaster are very limited in time and locally. So my house is a „safe house“ with dogs, chickens, bees, mechanical drinking water wells, utility garden, ATV and guns :)
But in the worst case we are prepared for 2 weeks. After that it would really be a nationwide catastrophe and time for "supply tours" ;-)
 
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