I Gots a Question

[migtig]

After visiting this past weekend's Triton display and the audition for Doomsday Preppers (and seeing only normal looking people there)...

...is anybody on here a "prepper"? And not in the crazy sense either (and you know what I mean).

I grew up in hurricane country on a farm, so I personally like to be prepared for the worst. Back-up supplies, emergency kits, etc. My husband grew up a city boy, though he denies it. So some things aren't as important to him.

However, with the recent economic impacts our local area is facing, I've been a little more concerned about planning ahead to ensure my little family is going to be okay if one of us loses a job. And my husband seems to be embracing my planning efforts.

How about you? Are you prepping for what if scenarios?

 

[mAlice]

After visiting this past weekend's Triton display and the audition for Doomsday Preppers (and seeing only normal looking people there)...

...is anybody on here a "prepper"? And not in the crazy sense either (and you know what I mean).

I grew up in hurricane country on a farm, so I personally like to be prepared for the worst. Back-up supplies, emergency kits, etc. My husband grew up a city boy, though he denies it. So some things aren't as important to him.

However, with the recent economic impacts our local area is facing, I've been a little more concerned about planning ahead to ensure my little family is going to be okay if one of us loses a job. And my husband seems to be embracing my planning efforts.

How about you? Are you prepping for what if scenarios?

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say 'prepper', but we are stocking up, and we have a plan. Hubby went to that thing and looked at the application. He said it was way too invasive.

 

[NextJen]

...is anybody on here a "prepper"? And not in the crazy sense either (and you know what I mean).

We have been purchasing extra canned goods for awhile and storing them up. We also try to keep several tanks of propane on hand for the outdoor grill. We have a swimming pool that is full of water, so we can use that for flushing or putting sanitizing tablets into for drinking. We want to start storing some water in our basement. I am pushing to purchase a generator this year before hurricane season starts.

We are mostly trying to be prepared for power outages, given the storms we've had over the last several years, and experiencing a few days without power. If the shtf, we won't last that long.

 

[MMDad]

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say 'prepper', but we are stocking up, and we have a plan. Hubby went to that thing and looked at the application. He said it was way too invasive.

We go camping a lot (real camping, not old people park the trailer and turn on the TV camping), and the camping gear is perfect "prepper" stuff. I even have a thermo-electric stove that burns twigs and will charge a cell phone. When the zombie apocalypse hits we'll be able to support ourselves, at least until the ammo runs out.

I grew up as a Mormon, and they are supposed to have a years worth of food and supplies on hand. I'm nowhere near that.

I also have a perfect plan for bartering. While everyone else is looting the stores for food, I'll be stashing the cigarettes. They're light, compact, and it won't take too long until people will trade just about anything for them.

 

[mAlice]

We go camping a lot (real camping, not old people park the trailer and turn on the TV camping), and the camping gear is perfect "prepper" stuff. I even have a thermo-electric stove that burns twigs and will charge a cell phone. When the zombie apocalypse hits we'll be able to support ourselves, at least until the ammo runs out.

I grew up as a Mormon, and they are supposed to have a years worth of food and supplies on hand. I'm nowhere near that.

I also have a perfect plan for bartering. While everyone else is looting the stores for food, I'll be stashing the cigarettes. They're light, compact, and it won't take too long until people will trade just about anything for them.

It will probably take a zombie apocalypse to get me to quit smoking.

We have the RV, and the 'roughing it' stuff. So, if we can get outta' Dodge with the trailer in tow, we will. Otherwise, I'll be sharin' my digs with creepy crawlies.

 

[migtig]

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say 'prepper', but we are stocking up, and we have a plan. Hubby went to that thing and looked at the application. He said it was way too invasive.

I wanted to see how big it was - it was pretty big. But to do a home from storage containers, it made me rethink my size dimensions and I don't know if the storage container route is the great upcycle home idea after all.

We have been purchasing extra canned goods for awhile and storing them up. We also try to keep several tanks of propane on hand for the outdoor grill. We have a swimming pool that is full of water, so we can use that for flushing or putting sanitizing tablets into for drinking. We want to start storing some water in our basement. I am pushing to purchase a generator this year before hurricane season starts.

We are mostly trying to be prepared for power outages, given the storms we've had over the last several years, and experiencing a few days without power. If the shtf, we won't last that long.

That's how I started and we need a generator too imho. But now I'm thinking more long term solution. Like the Mormons with the year plan.

. I even have a thermo-electric stove that burns twigs and will charge a cell phone.

Now that's a neat idea. Where did you find that?

 

[MMDad]

Now that's a neat idea. Where did you find that?

BioLite CampStove - BioLite Stove

 

[garyt27]

Loot and piliage, that's my plan.

 

[MMDad]

I'm also experimenting with solar cookers. I'll be building one or two this weekend for an upcoming workshop I'm teaching. If you're interested I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[ylexot]

Get shot, that's my plan.

:fixed:

 

[ylexot]

BioLite CampStove - BioLite Stove

I saw that on Gizmodo when it was a prototype. Didn't know they were actually available yet.

 

[mAlice]

I'm also experimenting with solar cookers. I'll be building one or two this weekend for an upcoming workshop I'm teaching. If you're interested I'll let you know how it works out.

I'm interested.

 

[migtig]

I'm also experimenting with solar cookers. I'll be building one or two this weekend for an upcoming workshop I'm teaching. If you're interested I'll let you know how it works out.

Absolutely. I've seen where people have made a cooker from a car's sun blocker thing but I've never really figured out how the solar cooker is supposed to work.

 

[GWguy]

I prepare for common disasters, like extended power outages and major storm events. I keep a few containers of fuel, ample water and food to carry me thru about 2 weeks.

It's my feeling that no matter how much you think you prepare for the apocalypse, your efforts will fall far short. You will run out of gas for the genny. Propane too. You will eventually run out of food, if the the panic mob doesn't rob and kill you first. Sitting there with a gun trying to protect myself is not my idea of an existence. No need to figure out how to recharge cell phones, service will eventually be disrupted. No one to talk to anyway, the zombies will have gotten them all.

All of these efforts are an attempt to preserve our way of life as we know it today, with minor substitutions. Life will not be the same in the event of a true catastrophe.

No, I'm not a Eeyore, I'm a realist. I can easily move into the woods, leave everything behind and survive from a backpack.

 

[GWguy]

I'm interested.

Absolutely. I've seen where people have made a cooker from a car's sun blocker thing but I've never really figured out how the solar cooker is supposed to work.

Used to build them and cook our meals in Boy Scouts years ago. Very simple. Basically a box lined with foil that concentrates the sun. If you use a concave something (like a satellite dish), you can focus the heat and create some incredibly intense heat. Boiling water becomes easy.

 

[mAlice]

I prepare for common disasters, like extended power outages and major storm events. I keep a few containers of fuel, ample water and food to carry me thru about 2 weeks.

It's my feeling that no matter how much you think you prepare for the apocalypse, your efforts will fall far short. You will run out of gas for the genny. Propane too. You will eventually run out of food, if the the panic mob doesn't rob and kill you first. Sitting there with a gun trying to protect myself is not my idea of an existence. No need to figure out how to recharge cell phones, service will eventually be disrupted. No one to talk to anyway, the zombies will have gotten them all.

All of these efforts are an attempt to preserve our way of life as we know it today, with minor substitutions. Life will not be the same in the event of a true catastrophe.

No, I'm not a Eeyore, I'm a realist. I can easily move into the woods, leave everything behind and survive from a backpack.

This is the scenario I see, too. I'd still like to have the RV, even if it doesn't have electricity/gas. It's a roof over my head.

I could still survive without it, though. I think the most important items for survival of any kind is a water source and ammo. In that order.

 

[MMDad]

Absolutely. I've seen where people have made a cooker from a car's sun blocker thing but I've never really figured out how the solar cooker is supposed to work.

I will be doing the car sun blocker thing, but I'm not too optimistic about that. I've heard that you can get 200 degrees from that, which isn't really enough to do much with. Water needs 150 degrees to pasteurize, so i guess it might be good for that.

Once I get them built I'm going to actually use them and find out what temperatures are generated. Gather some data, and determine what would actually be useful and what is a waste of effort.

 

[migtig]

I prepare for common disasters, like extended power outages and major storm events. I keep a few containers of fuel, ample water and food to carry me thru about 2 weeks.

It's my feeling that no matter how much you think you prepare for the apocalypse, your efforts will fall far short. You will run out of gas for the genny. Propane too. You will eventually run out of food, if the the panic mob doesn't rob and kill you first. Sitting there with a gun trying to protect myself is not my idea of an existence. No need to figure out how to recharge cell phones, service will eventually be disrupted. No one to talk to anyway, the zombies will have gotten them all.

All of these efforts are an attempt to preserve our way of life as we know it today, with minor substitutions. Life will not be the same in the event of a true catastrophe.

No, I'm not a Eeyore, I'm a realist. I can easily move into the woods, leave everything behind and survive from a backpack.

I don't think I'm actually preparing for an "apocalypse" per se.

However, I do believe knowledge is power.

I'm also one of those folks who believes if I have prepared for the worst and nothing happens, then okay. I've made the giant prepare for hurricane evacuation before and nothing happened. He laughed at me, but it was okay, because I was prepared. Make sense?

 

[ylexot]

This is the scenario I see, too. I'd still like to have the RV, even if it doesn't have electricity/gas. It's a roof over my head.

I could still survive without it, though. I think the most important items for survival of any kind is a water source and ammo. In that order.

That's why I'm looking at one of these:
Hand Water Pump or Motorized, by SIMPLE PUMP

Since we're on a well, it would essentially give us unlimited clean water. You can even set it up for solar power and hook it into the home system for toilets/sinks, etc.

I also have an emergency desalinization filter system that we could use on water from the rivers/bay. But that's a pretty limited output.

 

[GWguy]

This is the scenario I see, too. I'd still like to have the RV, even if it doesn't have electricity/gas. It's a roof over my head.

I could still survive without it, though. I think the most important items for survival of any kind is a water source and ammo. In that order.

And that will probably be one of the first things the mobs steal from you.

If you have nothing that someone wants, you don't have to protect it.