Seriously thoughtful are you prepared?

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

You wear black powder makeup?

nope, this is the only kind of powder that goes anywhere near my face...

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

nope, this is the only kind of powder that goes anywhere near my face...

Well, then you'll appreciate this story!

YEARS after my father died, my mother and I decided to clean out the bottom of his gun cabinet. A local gun shop had agreed to dispose of the old ammo and various boxes of stuff he had in there. My father dabbled in almost everything, and one of those things was muzzle-loading. (Do you know where this is going?)

Anyway, we blithely loaded up a bunch of boxes of stuff into the trunk of the car and headed off to the gun store, across hill and dale and bumpy railroad tracks...

When the owner of the shop started getting the boxes out of the car the color actually drained out of his face. Apparently there was a fairly large quantity of very old, and not very well stored, black powder in there.

They transported it carefully to the range, and blew it up for us. Who knew that stuff got so unstable when it gets damp/old? (Okay, probably you knew!)

[SameOldStory]

When I was in high school in the 60s a directive was sent to all school chemistry teachers to dilute and dispose of a certain chemical (mixture probably). They were told that it could become explosive with age.

The chemistry teacher mentioned it to the head of the rifle team figuring that he was knowledgeable with things that go bang. Neither thought that it could be all that explosive. After all, they were still using it in class.

So they took the bottle out to the middle of the football field and went back a safe distance. The rifle team coach took aim, and BOOM. A 2 foot wide hole in the ground.

By the way, very old teargas becomes explosive too. If you happen to have any, please call the local police.


On the other hand, I loved chemistry. That was where I got my potassium nitrate to make my own firecrackers.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

nope, this is the only kind of powder that goes anywhere near my face...

Not smokeless power?

Mel Tappan's Survival Guns goes PD in Canada in 2031...

[SameOldStory]

I haven't read it but I would think that there can never be enough guns.

In the hands of friends all around you.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Not smokeless power?

...

That's the Green technologies, right -- water power, solar....in order to avoid the greenhouse effect and climate change?

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by kennyc

That's the Green technologies, right -- water power, solar....in order to avoid the greenhouse effect and climate change?

and 2 times the muzzle velocity!.....

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

and 2 times the muzzle velocity!.....

Thought so. Jus' checkin'

[nikkie]

I grew up in the country (ish), and we would never have worried about a week without power. My family had a wood-burning stove that (back then) we stocked wood for every fall because it was cheaper than paying a heating bill. So if the power was out, you tried not to open the fridge too much, ate the perishables first, and lit the fireplace. It was like a snowy holiday usually. With candlelight.

Now I live in the city in an apartment building; and I've never prepared for anything. No stove, grill, etc. I expect I'd probably just walk to Safeway (across the street) if I ran out of things that didn't need to be cooked. I don't have anything in my car for emergencies other than a blanket...after all I have a cell phone. If something went wrong I'd just call the tow truck to come pick me up.

I think the biggest worry about a week without power (and lots of snow) at this point would be a lack of a.) being able to get to work b.) being able to do anything at work (I'm a programmmer...) and c.) being able to use the internet!! Also my iRex dies every two weeks whether it's on or off, so who knows whether or not it would have any power, since I know my iphone would be dead in a day.

I live in the same neck of the woods as kindlekitten; should be interesting. The last time a big la nina was forecast we had four feet of snow where I lived at the time.

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by nikkie

I grew up in the country (ish), and we would never have worried about a week without power. My family had a wood-burning stove that (back then) we stocked wood for every fall because it was cheaper than paying a heating bill. So if the power was out, you tried not to open the fridge too much, ate the perishables first, and lit the fireplace. It was like a snowy holiday usually. With candlelight.

Now I live in the city in an apartment building; and I've never prepared for anything. No stove, grill, etc. I expect I'd probably just walk to Safeway (across the street) if I ran out of things that didn't need to be cooked. I don't have anything in my car for emergencies other than a blanket...after all I have a cell phone. If something went wrong I'd just call the tow truck to come pick me up.

I think the biggest worry about a week without power (and lots of snow) at this point would be a lack of a.) being able to get to work b.) being able to do anything at work (I'm a programmmer...) and c.) being able to use the internet!! Also my iRex dies every two weeks whether it's on or off, so who knows whether or not it would have any power, since I know my iphone would be dead in a day.

I live in the same neck of the woods as kindlekitten; should be interesting. The last time a big la nina was forecast we had four feet of snow where I lived at the time.

Now see, that's the problem when we have an ice storm around here: the Safeway wouldn't have power either, and wouldn't be open. The tow trucks can't get to you because the road isn't cleared. Cell phone works until you need to charge it again, then it's no good. Even in the city, or maybe especially in the city, it doesn't hurt to be a little bit prepared.

[SameOldStory]

I've read several places that in the major cities we have about a 3 day supply of food available. Here's the Congressional Record for what it's worth.

But that is probably true only if none of it was damaged and all of the food was distributed evenly. And that's not going to happen.

The main things to consider are cost, convenience, shelf life, ease of preparation (not the same as convenience), caloric content, and volume/satiation. After that personal preferences and variety can be considered.

So what is the cheapest way to "stock up"?

Ramen Noodles - cheaper than dirt when it's on sale. It was designed to be cooked in about 3 minutes even with low heat. Add more water to it to make you feel filled up. I like to stir in an egg just after I turn off the stove.

Macaroni and Cheese - yes, I know, WHAT A TREAT! And then there is the complaint about not having fresh milk and butter. Just wait, that part's coming. This takes longer than the Ramen to cook but is tasty and high in calories. Buy them on sale. But decide which ones you like best before buying a lot of them. Some aren't very good.

Canned foods - Number one rule > only buy what you like to eat. Why? Because you are going to be eating them long before you ever have an emergency. Buy them when they're on sale. Put the purchase date on the can. Later as you buy newer cans, consume the oldest marked cans.

Avoid snacks in plastic bags - Snacks will go bad. Even if they don't "rot", they'll taste bad after a long time. Only snacks in an airtight can should be considered. An exception to the "no plastic bag" rule for me is noodles. I just rotate them more frequently.

Canned Fruit - Even if you don't have children, canned fruit will taste like a luxury.

Bottled water - Not much to say. Just keep a lot more on hand than you think you'll need.


Sundries

Salt, pepper, etc - What ever you like. Side note - Spices may be more valuable than gold. In a prolonged emergency someone may kill for gold, but probably not for oregano. Canned tomato sauce and oregano go well with squirrel.

Coffee, tea, etc. - When I used to backpack I carried chicken and beef bullion, along with instant coffee. All you have to do is heat the water for a filling part of a meal.

Instant "juice" like drinks - Kool Aid type of stuff. Preferably the bulk type, in a jar, as opposed to the packages the make a "pitcher" full. Again, even if you don't have children, this can be a treat. Just find out what you can enjoy warm. I may prefer it cold but I can drink "fruit punch" at room temperature with no problem.


Odds and Ends

Butter flavored Crisco Shortening - It has a 2 year expiration date on the can (when new). An expiration date is the last date that a merchant can sell it. In this case that means that it can sit on your shelf for 2 years and still be OK. At that point you should use it.

So what is it good for? Take a look at margarine. It's made from vegetable oil. The same is true of Crisco shortening. I've used the butter flavored Crisco shortening in cake mixes instead of butter with no odd taste. Use it in place of the butter in macaroni and cheese. Use it to fry that squirrel, too. Best of all, unlike butter, Crisco shortening doesn't have to be refrigerated. And remember it has an unopened shelf life of two years.

Powder Milk - I don't like drinking powdered milk. But it is perfect for use in almost anything that calls for milk. Like macaroni and cheese, cakes, or pancakes.

Flour, yeast, and corn starch - If you don't already know what to do with these items you can always trade them for a can of beans. Maybe.


This is only a short list. If you have tons of money you can spend it on "survival foods" with a 30 year shelf life. If not just buy the things that you already eat when they're on sale and put them in boxes.

I've been out of work for two months due to foot surgery. But I don't have an emergency. I'm doing fine.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by bjones6416

Well, then you'll appreciate this story!

YEARS after my father died, my mother and I decided to clean out the bottom of his gun cabinet. A local gun shop had agreed to dispose of the old ammo and various boxes of stuff he had in there. My father dabbled in almost everything, and one of those things was muzzle-loading. (Do you know where this is going?)

Anyway, we blithely loaded up a bunch of boxes of stuff into the trunk of the car and headed off to the gun store, across hill and dale and bumpy railroad tracks...

When the owner of the shop started getting the boxes out of the car the color actually drained out of his face. Apparently there was a fairly large quantity of very old, and not very well stored, black powder in there.

They transported it carefully to the range, and blew it up for us. Who knew that stuff got so unstable when it gets damp/old? (Okay, probably you knew!)

I have seen and heard all sorts of crazy anecdotes about the stuff that comes out of gun collections. my Uncle once bought a rifle that still had a load in it from the civil war...

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Not smokeless power?

Mel Tappan's Survival Guns goes PD in Canada in 2031...

it gets the barrel REALLY gummy!

Originally Posted by nikkie

I grew up in the country (ish), and we would never have worried about a week without power. My family had a wood-burning stove that (back then) we stocked wood for every fall because it was cheaper than paying a heating bill. So if the power was out, you tried not to open the fridge too much, ate the perishables first, and lit the fireplace. It was like a snowy holiday usually. With candlelight.

Now I live in the city in an apartment building; and I've never prepared for anything. No stove, grill, etc. I expect I'd probably just walk to Safeway (across the street) if I ran out of things that didn't need to be cooked. I don't have anything in my car for emergencies other than a blanket...after all I have a cell phone. If something went wrong I'd just call the tow truck to come pick me up.

I think the biggest worry about a week without power (and lots of snow) at this point would be a lack of a.) being able to get to work b.) being able to do anything at work (I'm a programmmer...) and c.) being able to use the internet!! Also my iRex dies every two weeks whether it's on or off, so who knows whether or not it would have any power, since I know my iphone would be dead in a day.

I live in the same neck of the woods as kindlekitten; should be interesting. The last time a big la nina was forecast we had four feet of snow where I lived at the time.

that's what I'n talking about! also I tend to be in a LOT of places where my cell phone doesn't work and/or waiting on a tow truck might be synonymous with waiting on death!

Originally Posted by bjones6416

Now see, that's the problem when we have an ice storm around here: the Safeway wouldn't have power either, and wouldn't be open. The tow trucks can't get to you because the road isn't cleared. Cell phone works until you need to charge it again, then it's no good. Even in the city, or maybe especially in the city, it doesn't hurt to be a little bit prepared.

I think most places around here have back-up generators. it is THAT common to lose power here

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

I've read several places that in the major cities we have about a 3 day supply of food available. Here's the Congressional Record for what it's worth.

*SNIP*.

I'm not sure what the supply is, I am sure I am not going to rely on other entities to keep me fed and comfy!

I used to have a flier from the State of New Mexico Agricultural Department (I'm sure other states do it as well, I just happened to have theirs) that was an essential pantry list. it covered dried legumes, rice, oils, etc. etc. it was a very comprehensive list... maybe I will search it out

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

I've read several places that in the major cities we have about a 3 day supply of food available. Here's the Congressional Record for what it's worth.

But that is probably true only if none of it was damaged and all of the food was distributed evenly. And that's not going to happen.

The main things to consider are cost, convenience, shelf life, ease of preparation (not the same as convenience), caloric content, and volume/satiation. After that personal preferences and variety can be considered.

So what is the cheapest way to "stock up"?

Ramen Noodles - cheaper than dirt when it's on sale. It was designed to be cooked in about 3 minutes even with low heat. Add more water to it to make you feel filled up. I like to stir in an egg just after I turn off the stove.

Macaroni and Cheese - yes, I know, WHAT A TREAT! And then there is the complaint about not having fresh milk and butter. Just wait, that part's coming. This takes longer than the Ramen to cook but is tasty and high in calories. Buy them on sale. But decide which ones you like best before buying a lot of them. Some aren't very good.

Canned foods - Number one rule > only buy what you like to eat. Why? Because you are going to be eating them long before you ever have an emergency. Buy them when they're on sale. Put the purchase date on the can. Later as you buy newer cans, consume the oldest marked cans.

Avoid snacks in plastic bags - Snacks will go bad. Even if they don't "rot", they'll taste bad after a long time. Only snacks in an airtight can should be considered. An exception to the "no plastic bag" rule for me is noodles. I just rotate them more frequently.

Canned Fruit - Even if you don't have children, canned fruit will taste like a luxury.

Bottled water - Not much to say. Just keep a lot more on hand than you think you'll need.


Sundries

Salt, pepper, etc - What ever you like. Side note - Spices may be more valuable than gold. In a prolonged emergency someone may kill for gold, but probably not for oregano. Canned tomato sauce and oregano go well with squirrel.

Coffee, tea, etc. - When I used to backpack I carried chicken and beef bullion, along with instant coffee. All you have to do is heat the water for a filling part of a meal.

Instant "juice" like drinks - Kool Aid type of stuff. Preferably the bulk type, in a jar, as opposed to the packages the make a "pitcher" full. Again, even if you don't have children, this can be a treat. Just find out what you can enjoy warm. I may prefer it cold but I can drink "fruit punch" at room temperature with no problem.


Odds and Ends

Butter flavored Crisco Shortening - It has a 2 year expiration date on the can (when new). An expiration date is the last date that a merchant can sell it. In this case that means that it can sit on your shelf for 2 years and still be OK. At that point you should use it.

So what is it good for? Take a look at margarine. It's made from vegetable oil. The same is true of Crisco shortening. I've used the butter flavored Crisco shortening in cake mixes instead of butter with no odd taste. Use it in place of the butter in macaroni and cheese. Use it to fry that squirrel, too. Best of all, unlike butter, Crisco shortening doesn't have to be refrigerated. And remember it has an unopened shelf life of two years.

Powder Milk - I don't like drinking powdered milk. But it is perfect for use in almost anything that calls for milk. Like macaroni and cheese, cakes, or pancakes.

Flour, yeast, and corn starch - If you don't already know what to do with these items you can always trade them for a can of beans. Maybe.


This is only a short list. If you have tons of money you can spend it on "survival foods" with a 30 year shelf life. If not just buy the things that you already eat when they're on sale and put them in boxes.

I've been out of work for two months due to foot surgery. But I don't have an emergency. I'm doing fine.

Wonderful concise list! Thanks!

[desertgrandma]

Beautiful list, SOS.

If I could just add............do not store these things in the garage.

Regardless of where you live, your food will suffer heat/cold extremes.

We took a coat closet which was never used (I live in the frickin' desert!) husband added shelves, and it serves as an extra pantry.

Also, I can't over emphasize the importance of water. Whats the first thing to go in an earthquake/tornado/whatever?

Power and water. Even after the water is restored, believe me, you won't like the taste of the boiled water you are forced to use until bacterial levels are safe.

Bleagh!

[wodin]

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

What I remember of the Kobe earthquake in 1995 are images on the news of people complaining that the government wasn't responding to the their needs fast enough. They kept asking "where is the aid, where is the government".

That is what I saw. People standing or sitting, waiting to be helped. Was it the whole story? I'm sure it wasn't. But that was the image over, and over, on the TV.

Yes, I saw the same thing during the hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans. And the blame game from that still continues.