Are you Stocking Up or Preparing for an Emergency? Support Thread - Page 6

[Satori]

Is it just me or do those girls look like there about to cry in nearly every picture?

[virginiabloom]

Dang. You ladies have NO idea how inciteful this thread has been for me. I like many others have a really hard time keeping track of the news w/o panicking and feeling like the end of the world is coming everyday. I mean there's just so much bad that happens everyday as it is. A few years ago, right after DD was born, I decided to stop watching the news all together in order to stay level headed and clear and focused on my home life.

I praise those of you who have the ability to hear about daily tragedies and still keep track of your daily life. The only politics or news crisis stories I hear about would be from my husband, rarely.

So basically this thread is making me come close to losing it. (No, not literally. But given the chance to think about this for long enough I could probably work myself up to a pretty good panick

As a young wife and mother of 2, living from paycheck to paycheck with not much to spare when it comes to the food budget, or extras as it is, I am pretty much gonna get started on preparations for sudden SHingTF ASAP.

Thank you all for your wonderful ideas that I plan on gleaning from starting this month

[MaryCeleste]

Count me among those who are unsettled by the concept of "having a bag packed." Still, it helps to remember that this is part of basic emergency preparedness, which is recommended for everyone, always by the Red Cross and government agencies. It isn't really different from installing smoke detectors, learning first aid or CPR, or using seatbelts and bike helmets. It's just not as widely practiced as those things... probably because it takes quite a bit of time and effort... and maybe because of the "yikes" factor that we've all experienced.

IMO, this vague sense of impending doom is accentuated by the name "bug out bag," which reminds me of some of the more extreme survivalist/conspiracy types... the ones who are all stoked to GTHOOD in their stealth-modified Jeeps when TSHTF, because TEOTWAWKI is about to happen (and has been "about to happen" since some time in the mid-70's, judging by the age of some of these guys' food stashes). "Go bag" sounds a lot more reassuring, but it makes me think of those gel pouches that you can pee in (which, perhaps not coincidentally, are included in our supplies. ). So I think I'll just call ours a "72 hour emergency bag."

On a related note, I'm thinking it would make sense to split the necessary items into two categories:

#1 - "just in case" bag, containing the things that might come in handy in everyday situations (changes of clothes, first aid kit, snacks, etc.), to be kept near the door, and brought on every outing more than a few blocks away.

#2 - emergency bag, with things we'd only need in a bona fide crisis (sleeping bags, additional food & water, extra medication, copies of important documents, etc.), to be kept in the closet near the front door.

Of course, when you have five family members -- each of whom needs food, spare clothes and shoes, bedding, and three gallons of water -- anything in the realm of "bag" doesn't even begin to cover it. What we need is a TARDIS.

[virginiabloom]

p.s. after a few hours of researching this topic (mainly, how to be prepared in case of any emergency, be it economical, natural disaster, etc) a little more on the internet, I feel a little shocked at how incredibly little to nothing I know about this whole economic crisis, and how to be prepared for any crisis for that matter.

If there are any tips for newbies just starting out with stockpiling that have not previously been mentioned, feel free to throw em at me.

[mamadelbosque]

I think the key to stock piling food is just to stop, and think about two things: What you actually EAT as a family and of that what CAN be stored WITHOUT electricity. Then, work on buying extr of that whenever you can. For us, thats beans & grain & canned tomatoes, fish, coconut milk, applesauce, peanut butter, etc. So, I/we buy beans/grains in bulk through my co-op (though I may be buying some wheat locally here soon), and I've been learning to can this summer. So I canned a bunch of tomatoe, and am now working on applesauce/apple butter. When the apples are done, I'lll be moving on to making jams and jellies. Sure, they aren't super uber important but they'll be a nice treat every now and then.

I do need to work on learning to bake my own bread and then stocking up on yeast/salt (and/or learning to make/like sourbread!!

[UUMom]

This is a great book, and a good blog.

www.theunthinkable.com

Lots of practical ideas and tons of links.

(Warning-- Oprah likes it. That bugged me. But well...)

[aihcalappa]

Originally Posted by UUMom

This is a great book, and a good blog.

www.theunthinkable.com

Lots of practical ideas and tons of links.

(Warning-- Oprah likes it. That bugged me. But well...)

Thanks, that looks good!

[UUMom]

Originally Posted by appalachia

Thanks, that looks good!

You're welcome.

Maybe the NPR endorsment cancels out Oprah's?

Yk, I've never been fearful or one to over- prepare, but I live in a hurricane -prone area, plus sort of 'in the country' where we constantly loose power. When my first was a baby, we lost power for over a week. That extra water and stuff sure came in handy.

And as I mentioned, we had friends who lost almost everything in a CA wildfire a few years back. Bug -out with their kids they did, and with surprisingly little warning (the winds changed). Of course, all the stored grains and water in the world wouldn't have helped them. But having all their documents and such in a lock- box ready to go was a brilliant move on their part.

[Paxjourney]

We have a 3 day bag. Its something I started putting toghether when my MIL got stuck on the other side of the mountain with a friend at a motel and all they had was some crackers and the vending machine. Its basic, change of clothing (season appropritate) for all members of the family with several extra change of underware and socks. Food that my family will eat (rotated every 3mo) I keep one in my car. DH has a scaled down version in his car we then have a more extensive "BOB" at home.


As for stockpiling. Nope not us. I do keep a pantry but No where near the 1-5years 500lbs of wheat etc.

Food we will eat.
For example, last march our local store had pouch tuna for $1, they then had coupons right next to it. Buy 3 pouches get $1 off. SO 3 pouches for $2. (Normally $1.59 for 1) I purchased something like 70 pouches. Because it is something that DH and I both Love to eat aswell as the girls. It will last us another 4mo etc.

[dancebaraka]

hey leave Oprah alone

[UUMom]

Originally Posted by dancebaraka

hey leave Oprah alone

I have the love/hate relationship w/ the gal.

[LeighB]

Ooo, glad I found this thread!
I have a small stockpile of food. Nothing special. The big thing we need are our Go Bags and water. We have an amazing first aid kit, but I haven't gone through it to see what everything is or if it is still in working condition.

[aihcalappa]

Welcome, LeighB!

[dubfam]

Originally Posted by appalachia

Welcome, LeighB!

::

[DreamsInDigital]

I have a very small stockpile going too. We definitely need water and first aid supplies.

My DH is adding to my grocery list each week "stockpile something". He's so helpful.

[Ianthe]

At Albertsons today, I bought 10 cans of organic chickpeas for 10/$10.00. They were just as much as the non-organic!

I have lots of dry beans, but canned ones are good in a time pinch

[Krisis]

I'm going to the LDS cannery tomorrow. I have never been before and I'm a little scared. I don't know what I am doing. I am filling some lady's order and maybe placing an order of my own. We'll see!

Just another note to keep your stinkin' gas level above 1/2 tank. Last night I was driving home with DS and I had forgotten to check the gas gauge - the empty light was on and we still had a good 40 miles to go. I had no debit card and only $3 in change. I held out as long as I could and then bought a gallon of gas. I made it home, barely. Ugh all I could think about was DS and I stranded on the side of the road - it was snowing and cold and anyone who could have come and picked us up was an hour's drive away, and it was late, and AAAHHH I am so glad we avoided that disaster.

Any ideas to store a 5 gallon can of gas in an apartment? I have a porch with a small storage unit but I don't know if the gas would freeze out there...

[aihcalappa]

Originally Posted by DreamsInDigital

My DH is adding to my grocery list each week "stockpile something". He's so helpful.

[aihcalappa]

My Dh was reading about tanning leather this morning, and the page he was reading suggested the best way to learn is to practice on fresh road kill. We have plenty of that on the roads around here, but still, kinda gross.
Sometimes having a DH on the preparedness bandwagon is a double edged sword.

[Jenivere]

I'm glad my husband just encourages us to have a few months worth of food, seeds, some extra clothing and blankets, household supplies an camping gear.