i need some help

[originalhonkey]

im not new to the site but new to this forum. all this has been on my mind a lot but i feel lost. thanks to darinb's post ive made up my mind to stay. i'll only bug out as a last resort. ive started on my b.o.b and my wifes. i feel that i have a good grasp on that. what i need help with is the house and supplies. here some questions i have...

food-
what kind?
whats the shelf life?
how much?

water-
how much?
what kind of purifier?
water tablets?
filters?
the name brands that work...

medical supplies-
any thing spec.?

power-
batteries?
lights?
generator?

fuel-
gas?
propane?
how much?

types of cookers?
heaters?

any lists or advice of any kind would be great. i never planned on staying put until now. i have a 4yr daughter now and that changes the game. i appreciate any and all advice comments list and so on. ammo and guns are no problem i have about 20 and about a 1000 for each. its everything else i am lost on. anything i may have left out that you can think of please let me know. thanks again!

 

[Archbishop]

You should start by digging a really deep whole in the back yard. Really deep.....

 

[Woodsman]

Here is a link to something for medical supplies: Wilderness Medicine Kits - Wilderness Medicine Outfitters

I think its safe to say the usual recommendation for water is 1 gallon per day per person. That is not very much when you consider hydration requirements, fixing food, sanitation (such as it may be in those conditions), etc. 3 gallons/person/day might offer some leeway and makes things easier to manage. Now you are faced with storage of the water. I've heard different recommendations for this from everything to 6 months to five years before it should be rotated. I think the length of storage depends on the quality of the original water source or what type of treatment you use. YMMV.

That's a start.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

I might start with the idea of two meals a day . Two gallons of water a day , 1 to drink , 1 to bath / shave with .

Think of what your family uses now and reduce it by half , and plan on that . It's kinda hard to tell someone else what there gonna need but we all need the basics .

Shelter , fire , food and water . Everything after that is icing on the cake .

If you take some time and dig through the posts you will find some very good advice . Then you will need to prioritize according to your families needs .

 

[United]

well, i'll try and write a bit here...I'm no expert by any means, but maybe i can help get ya in the right direction!!

The question of "How Much" of anything really depends on the size of the family and how much you think you will need in the worst case scenario. As a parent as well, I know i'd rather my kids get more than me..so that's a bit hard to decide. As far as food goes, in my B.O.B I have 3 days of food bars and at home i have about 1 month of canned goods and MRE's...so far. Doesn't count the garden and my upcoming raid of Krogers! I'd like to have 3 month supply of food, but that's just me.

Food -

canned goods - they keep for a lot longer than the expiration date. Look for deals at Kroger, Aldi and the like. Put in boxes or organize so you can rotate stock if you don't use them say in a few years.

MRE's -- shelf life of five years I think.



Water -

get one or two of these.. just in case! WaterBOB®: emergency drinking water storage

There is a 'Water Shelf Life Thread" here: https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...ster_preparedness/48494-water_shelf_life.html

Purifiers I have and trust:

MSR® Water Treatment and Hydration - Comprehensive Solutions to treat, store and deliver water anywhere

Products - Katadyn Products Inc.



Medical Supplies -

good medical kit site - Adventure Medical Kits - First Aid and Survival Gear

Get a good med kit and then add to it. Add extra Iodine, antibiotic, bug spray...best to have too much than not enough!

Maybe some Potassium Iodate..again, just in case THE worst case scenario! lol Not sure if this stuff would actually work or not..don't know anyone that's ever needed to try it Potassium Iodate tablets, KIO3

Take in account family needs..contact lenses, any allergies to bug stings..that sort of thing.


Power -

Solar might be a good off grid way to go. You can find "how to's" on the internet for all sorts of solar projects. Here is a good starting site: Plans for solar thermal, PV, Wind, Heating, Cooling, Cooking, and energy saving projects for Do It Yourselfers

Can't go wrong with generators though! For lights, you can use candles like the old days..and maximize the sunlight in your house for light and to heat with as well.



Fuel -

I'd like to not rely on having to go to the gas station in case of a SHTF scenario...but we'll most likely have to regardless. I have a lot of propane tanks If my neighbors knew how many they would freak!


For cookers and heaters..there are a lot of options. Gas or propane..maybe solar! I have a home made solar oven I can rely on and a gas grill (plenty of propane, remember!!).


That's all I got off the top of my head, plus I gotta get to a Fantasy Football draft!!. A good book to read for those that are planning and would like a good starting point is "When All Hell Breaks Loose" by Cody Lundin

 

[Woodsman]

Another aspect of what to do might be a consideration of seasons.

Remember the ice storms last year. That was in the winter so heating and warm clothes & bedding for all family members would be appropriate.

 

[csaws]

Don't forget everyone that has a tank water heater in an average home say 1200 sq. feet has at least 30 gallons of potable water stored at all times, all you have to do is open the drain at the bottom and put it in shallow pans as needed. Even toilet tank water is potable. If ya need it is fresh and is safe to drink if needed. I would use a 5 gallon bucket with a lid or build an outhouse over my septic tank before I would use a toilet if the water is off.

Click the Bug Out Book link in my Sig. the book and some other freebies is $14.95 for an ebook. It has great info in it most of which can also be used for building a "bug in kit" otherwise known as stocking your house.

Most all the important stuff has been mentioned here. I will add one other thing, if you have any land at all you can grow a garden. Almost everyone has somewhere they can grow food even if you live in town. most would say but my lot is an 1/8th of an acre, yet they sit with a 20x20 deck attached to the back of their house. If it hits the fan you won't be throwing parties on the deck.... dig up all the dirt you can find and put it on your deck, or tear up the deck and build raised garden beds. So saving seeds should be considered for bugging in... even if they are a couple of years old some will grow. If we are in doubt that a pack will grow well due to age we plant all of it.

 

[originalhonkey]

just wanted to thank you all for the great tips and advice. i think from your help and some of the previous post plus the links provided i have what i need to start and get it done thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[IndianaWoodsman]

Let's start with the most important - Water.
Tap water will "spoil", so to speak, as the minerals solidify and it gets a nasty smell and taste. Distilled water lasts nearly forever but lacks the minerals that you really need for long-term sustinence. Purification tablets and filters are a must as you can use both without the needed heat for boiling.
Also, though, have a couple hundred gallons of distilled stored back in glass, preferably, in case of nuclear blast to the north of us (which would pollute ALL of our water sources).

Heat for cooking or water purification brings us to another point. While I believe a generator is a good idea, I would not take needed funds away from other departments to buy one. In a worst-case SHTF scenario, gasoline will be in sparse supply. Stock up on matches and lighters.

In the event of an "electrical disarming pulse" for lack of the proper wording, in which all of the electronics are disabled, any motor newer than the "points" or "magnito" systems will be useless as well as anything that plugs into the wall outlet.
While this is not particurly a pleasing thought I figure on it when accumulating supplies.

Food - Canned goods and dry goods. Dry goods can be stored in metal or plastic containers and burried if need be as will normally keep fine, albeit possibly a bit stale. Stale won't kill you and if you are hungry , you hardly even notice.
Cans can be stored in the same manner.

I plan to stay but will also keep the option of moving in the event of a nuclear blast in the north country. It is unlikely that a nuclear attack would occur above, say, Montana.
While staying here, I don't plan to 'stay put'. I want the freedom of mobility to help keep me alive but to have food and water cache's in multiple areas that I can go to.

Also on food - If you have a gun, you can kill what you need in order to survive.

 

[redneckmedic]

All your questions are answered in this book

Amazon.com: Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse: A Novel of the Turbulent Near Future (Expanded and Updated 33 Chapter Edition) (9781425734077): James Wesley Rawles: Books