Seriously thoughtful are you prepared?

[SameOldStory]

"The problem with eating a cow is a big one (pun very much intended). In a serious emergency/disaster you have to cut it up and keep it from going bad."

"unless you know how to process the meat!"

Yes and no, I would imagine. I’ve seen rabbit and squirrel being dressed, but that’s it.

Best case, cool/cold weather and you have help plus a generator and fuel. Worst case, hot weather and no help

OK, worst case is that zombie cow.


"there is a lot in your list I wouldn't eat. I cook most everything from scratch as it is, so I guess I am always pretty well stocked up"

In the worst short term situations, that may not be ideal for many. Say that a terrorist group explodes a dirty bomb in a city, and then makes the water undrinkable for several major cities.

Time is short and you have to move quickly. You throw a couple of hundred pound bags of flour in the getaway transportation of choice and move out. Every time you start a fire to cook, you have people dropping by saying "Gee, I saw your fire and smelled your food and I don't know how to start a fire, you know. When did they, like, take the cigarette lighters out of cars anyway, not that I had much gas in it, you know. Gee, like, you got a lot of food, you know". And you shoot them between the eyes the next time they start to say "you know" or "like".

Worst case for most people is that they have no way to process/cook the food. Or that they are injured with no way to get to help. Say the building you live in has partially fallen on top of you during a major series of earthquakes, and your leg is broken. But you are concidered on of the lucky ones.

I would think that, at a minimum, one quarter to one third of your food should be readily consumable. Far out in the country you may be fine though. For a while.

Interestingly, my neighbor is from Central America. It is VERY strongly ingrained in him that you always help your neighbor out, because you never know when disaster (fire, hurricane, flood, or mud/land slide) may hit.

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

So many of these suggestions seem to imply no loss of power. I grew up in the country, and the power was usually the first thing to go. All well and good when I was with my parents and open fire or large grills were readily available. More of a problem now that my partner and I live in a town that doesnt allow grills on decks of townhouses.

Honestly, I'm not sure what we'd do, but you can bet I'm thinking about it now.

To be honest, I'd say sod the by-laws and start a fire in the garden or on the deck.

Alternatively, use camping stoves

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

Time is short and you have to move quickly. You throw a couple of hundred pound bags of flour in the getaway transportation of choice and move out. Every time you start a fire to cook, you have people dropping by saying "Gee, I saw your fire and smelled your food and I don't know how to start a fire, you know. When did they, like, take the cigarette lighters out of cars anyway, not that I had much gas in it, you know. Gee, like, you got a lot of food, you know". And you shoot them between the eyes the next time they start to say "you know" or "like".

Leading in more food and less people to share it with

[kennyc]

And everyone should read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy.

[recluse]

If you live in a large city, I suggest reading "Domain" by James Herbert. Depending on the disaster, if it effects the underground, you will be dealing with a serious four legged problem, and a major disease risk.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

So many of these suggestions seem to imply no loss of power. I grew up in the country, and the power was usually the first thing to go. All well and good when I was with my parents and open fire or large grills were readily available. More of a problem now that my partner and I live in a town that doesnt allow grills on decks of townhouses.

Honestly, I'm not sure what we'd do, but you can bet I'm thinking about it now.

Camp Stove, with the smallspare propane bottles. Takes up very little space.....

The little ones......and if the time comes that you should need it......I doubt anyone will say anything, except.....

"umm......would you share".......

And people........DON'T FORGET THE MATCHES!!

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

And people........DON'T FORGET THE MATCHES!!

And if you live in the UK or similalrly damp climates, get some waterproof ones!

Also, firesteels and the like, and learn how to start fires using them (it's great fun, and you get a mini sparkler display thrown in Plus they last longer than a box or two of matches )

[bjones6416]

And as far as losing power in the city goes, I found last year during a power outage (where I had hot water but no heat) that if you fill up empty water bottles with hot water and tuck them in the bed, it heats it up nicely in there. Just crawl in with your loved one (or the cats in my case ) and you're all set.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

And if you live in the UK or similalrly damp climates, get some waterproof ones!

Also, firesteels and the like, and learn how to start fires using them (it's great fun, and you get a mini sparkler display thrown in Plus they last longer than a box or two of matches )

Or put them in a baggie.......lasts forever.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

That really IS the crux of the planning. Do you plan for a few days power outage or do you plan for an End-of-Civilization disaster?

That, of course is the question. In Hawai`i the "disaster" might be as innoxious as a dock workers strike preventing unloading toilet paper from cargo ships.

[SameOldStory]

Originally Posted by kennyc

And everyone should read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy.

The Road epub - At The Free Library of Philadelphia for those who haven't read it.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

So many of these suggestions seem to imply no loss of power. I grew up in the country, and the power was usually the first thing to go. All well and good when I was with my parents and open fire or large grills were readily available. More of a problem now that my partner and I live in a town that doesnt allow grills on decks of townhouses.

Honestly, I'm not sure what we'd do, but you can bet I'm thinking about it now.

I guess you missed it with my posts. I've been without power for more than a week. going without for several days is almost SOP. it seems if a butterfly farts we have a lack of power incident

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

"The problem with eating a cow is a big one (pun very much intended). In a serious emergency/disaster you have to cut it up and keep it from going bad."

"unless you know how to process the meat!"

Yes and no, I would imagine. I’ve seen rabbit and squirrel being dressed, but that’s it.

Best case, cool/cold weather and you have help plus a generator and fuel. Worst case, hot weather and no help

OK, worst case is that zombie cow.


"there is a lot in your list I wouldn't eat. I cook most everything from scratch as it is, so I guess I am always pretty well stocked up"

.

I say this because theroretically your emergency food is what would cycle through your regular pantry anyway. that's how I treat it at least. with one exception (that I don't do anymore). for some reason my kids had it in their heads that we always had to have Dinty Moore Stew in our emergency stash. not anymore!!!

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

To be honest, I'd say sod the by-laws and start a fire in the garden or on the deck.

Alternatively, use camping stoves

when I was in the all electric house and we were without power for a really long time, and it was COLD! and rainy/icy I set my little coleman stove up on top of the sink and opened the windows just over the sink. that was the best/safest situation I could come up with

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Or put them in a baggie.......lasts forever.

clear nail polish on the top is a wonder!

Originally Posted by wodin

That, of course is the question. In Hawai`i the "disaster" might be as innoxious as a dock workers strike preventing unloading toilet paper from cargo ships.

I've heard from many former residents of Hawaii that a 3 month (or 6) supply of TP was crucial!

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

...


I've heard from many former residents of Hawaii that a 3 month (or 6) supply of TP was crucial!

[Joebill]

I live in a hurricane area.

So, every Spring I buy water, food, make sure I have food that doesn't need cooking, two can openers, several flashlights ( I have about 8 this year, all work), and plenty of batteries. Some of them rechargable since I use some of the flashlights at work. And I buy 24-48 rolls of tp at a time.

In the fall, after Dec 1, I eat the food as I need to and drink the water. Nothing I hate more than plastic bottle tasting water. eckckckck...

As for flushing with no power. I fill the tub as a hurricane approaches. Use a small bucket to dip the water to pour into the toilet to flush it.

Longest I have been without electricity, at a different address, with a street light on at the street perpendicular to the one we were on. About night 12, someone, wasn't me, went down there and broke the street light. The feeling on the street was it was like they were rubbing our faces in spit to see that light on down there.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

That really IS the crux of the planning. Do you plan for a few days power outage or do you plan for an End-of-Civilization disaster? Do you plan to remain in your own home, or move to an area easier for survival? Not many apartment dwellers worry about keeping enough water for a stable full of horses, or have space for a room full of food for a family of four for six months. Farm dwellers need to consider the needs of the farm animals. Apartment dwellers need to consider the needs of perhaps a cat, dog or hamster.

In the past several hundred years there have only been several week long natural disaster emergencies in civilized countries where food and water have been problematic (other than war times) Flood, earthquake, snow or ice storm, hurricane, etc. With the exception of the hurricane flooding in New Orleans, neither the US nor Europe has suffered long term disaster food shortages. A week gets to be a news-worthy long term situation.

Over in the Survival forums they are all planing for 'the big one' and stocking up with a year's worth of food for each member of the family. In the knife forums they are discussing 'zombie choppers' to deal with that very serious problem. Personally, I learned how to knap flint into arrowheads, axes, and knives so that I can corner the market on them when the next ice age hits and we all have to move into caves and eat mastodons, and wooley mammoths.

What do you suppose the emergency will be that you must prepare for? My wife and I prepare for earthquakes because they occur frequently where we live. We prepare for hostage taking because we frequent areas where hostages are taken. (If we were smarter we'd stop going to those areas. ) We don't prepare for zombies and we may just live to regret it. At least, that's what the guys in the knife forums told us.

Edit: Oh... we will be very happy to eat the mutton. But even happier to eat lamb. .As for waste eating large animals... it's doubtful there would be much waste. Too many hungry people to feed.

Stitchawl

You're quite right. A few day survival pack, is simple. The end of civilization...well...Expect a 95% die off of humans...

There are only a few ways to survive the end of civilization. And I'm not telling...