14. Mini Heater head
(Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.) A, but how much propane would one have to have
to heat a room all winter, even in NorCal? Unless the other option is freezing, your
propane tanks may have better uses than heating. Even cooking is a better
use, as no ammount of blankets will let you boil water.
15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric) A More specifically,
a grinder you have tested, and then cooked with the resulting flour. Also,
spare parts for the grinder, and a solid place to mount the grinder. If you
have the time, and the arms for it, buying wheat and making the grinding of
your own flour part of your every day life would be a large step in
preparation for troubled times.
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur. B If shortages of cylinders occurs, we
won't be able to get propane either. These may be quite valueable for that short term survival
especially in cold areas, but in the long term they are just airtight sheet
metal.
17. Survival Guide Book. A Correction, books.
No one book has everything you need in it. The more sources of information
you have at your disposal, the better.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term
lighting is difficult.) A But entire lantern sets with spare mantles is what the
author undoubtedly meant.
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc. A (if you have a baby) The ointments,
powders, oil, etc can be useful for non infants too.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry) A Knowing how to make a glycerine from lye (it isnt as hard as
you might think, if you have wood to burn) and those animal fats that might
otherwise be wasted can make washing day much easier.
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene) A But store lots of fuel. Better yet,
use a solar oven on sunny days, even in winter, saving fuel for rainy and
cloudy days.
22. Vitamins A (but like food, must be rotated and fresh) The good news is that most vitamins have
several years on thier experiation, so as long as you buy a new one when
you open the next bottle, staying several years ahead with vitamins is not
hard, and is far better than the various maladies resulting from vitamin
deficiencies and malnutrtion.
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous
without this item) A if you're planning to use small canisters of propane. I would hardly call this item urgent. Its
handy, but the discipline to turn off the flame when not in use is better
for both safety, and your finite fuel supply. Make sure you have a spark
striker for lighting it.
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products. A Tampons and pads also have a role in first aid, so it is
hard to have too many of these.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms) A Unless you live somewhere so hot that keeping cool to live
will be the primary concern, each member of the family should have at a
minimum enough long underwear to change them daily. Even without good
laundry facilities, changing underwear daily helps keep up hygeine.
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil) A+ The sharpenning you do to axes, hatchets and bow saws can be
accomplished with other oils, if need be. Or without oil at all. Only fine
edges on sharp knives really require oil on the stone, rough sharps can be
done with water and a file if you need to.
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter
Item) A- (but this item
stores for very long periods of time) Aluminum foil can also be highly useful if you need to
repair your solar oven or reflectors, and certainly makes any improvised
cooking much easier.
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal) B Didn't the scenario rule out
availability of gasoline?
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many). A So many uses for them, it is truly a good item to have in
abundance. In addition, clear plastic sheeting also has many many uses that
cannot really be improvised around.
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels A, especially for the TP Cant say enough good things about having
stored TP. It doesnt go bad, can be stored in places that you cant store
food. After a disaster toilet paper may well be worth more than gold, and
having a clean way to wipe may become a top luxury pretty quickly.
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4
months) A Powdered will last longer, and is
available at the church canneries for very good prices.
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST) A++ If at all possible, begin doing basic gardenning now. Don't
wait till the sky is falling to learn the things that will trip you up in
your garden.A raised bed square foot garden is a fairly easy way to start,
if you have a place to set that up.
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST) A You should have lots of rope,
especially thin rope/line for hanging clothes
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit A (if you have Coleman items to repair)
35. Tuna Fish (in oil) A, but you should stock other meats also, and rotate them religiously
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room) B Good item, but doesn't belong in this
list.
37. First aid kits A And the skills to
use them! If your skillset begins and ends with neosporin and a bandaid,
you need to at least do some serious reading on the subject, and better yet
take a class or two.
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates) B Batteries will last only a short
time. Sure, have some on hand, but have a plan for doing without the
items they power, because the batteries will go bad over time. In
fact, you should never again purchase battery-powered flashlights; always
buy wind-up flashlights. This is an area
that your solar panel setup can help a lot. Good quality rechargeables can
make small electric devices available at least some of the time.
39. Garlic, spices
& vinegar, baking supplies A This and all other food supply items get an A. Make sure the spices you like, you have
seeds for if they can be grown in your area. Learn the basics of making
vinegar.
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food) F
41. Flour, yeast & salt A++ Flour is better if
it is still in its "wheat" form. Grain stores far longer than
flour. Learn how to make volunteer bread from wild yeast. You cannot store
enough salt. That doesnt mean you shouldnt try, but salt has so many uses
in a long term disaster scenario that you'll eventually wish you had stored
more regardless of how much you have. That said, the more FOOD (water
softener salt should checked for additiives before considering ingestion)
salt you have, the better.
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches
will go first A++ These are getting
harder and harder to find. Get a supply, and strongly consider coating them
with wax to waterproof them.
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators A
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in
Wintertime.) B or B- Ice chests with good sealing lids also keep animals out of
your food if you find you need to keep some food outside for in cold
weather.
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts A These items have to be items you're
presently using; old clothes might not even fit you! Even simple steps like having two pairs of
shoes, two pairs of boots, and an extra set of heavy work gloves can be a
big step in the right direction.
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz"
Lanterns A if it's wind-up
flashlights. Lightsticks get a C- in my book. Their life is too
short and their lumens too dim. Lantern = A if you store fuel for it. Light sticks do have thier use. They have
a relatively good shelf life, and can be rotated at halloween if nothing
else. They also allow for light in places/situations where winding isnt
feasible, and a fire based light is too dangerous. However, they are not
something that is needed in big supply.
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings,
experience; Historic Times) A, but #43 duplicates this one. Should be combined
I think journals are worth mentioning
specifically. If you make it through the troubled times, and possibly even
if you don't, your journal is a primary historical document, and can be
very valueable to future generations. Journals also provide an expressive
outlet that can be critical in times of prolonged stress.
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with
wheels) A, especially if
you're set up to capture rain water. You pray for water; the Lord
sends rain; you can't capture and store it; you feel like a fool. Better than simply using trash cans, get
setup to collect rainwater now. The blue 55 gallon drums can often be found
on the cheap, and some fairly simple work on your downspouts can make the
collection mostly a no brainer.
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail
clippers, etc A If men's hygeine
is referring to shaving accoutrments, then consider one of two options. Get
a good supply of replacement blades, or learn to use a straight razor. In
eitehr case, learn how to keep your blades in good shape as long as
possible. You can strop any razor, and keeping it in oil, or alcohol will
keep it sharp longer due to less corrosion on the edge. Also, learn to use
a shaving brush, as soap may be available far longer than a can of shaving
cream. If mens hygiene doesn’t refer to shaving supplies (as #73 would
infer) then I wonder what it means.
|
|
50. Cast iron
cookware (sturdy, efficient) A, but do you know how to use it? Cook a meal with your
Dutch over once in a while.
51. Fishing supplies/tools A+ if you live near streams with fish, know how to fish, etc.
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams A. But extra screen material for your
window screens would be just as important.
53. Duct Tape A or B. I believe this item is vastly overrated. A
good ball of string and electrical tape are just as important.
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes A, but depends on scenario. If you're
staying in your home, the tent might be useless, unless ornry relatives or
neighbors show up to live with you. As with the backpacks below, staying put is usually better.
However, if the situation demands it, you also need to be mentally and
physically able to clear out and take as much of your essentials as
possible.
55. Candles A, but don't depend on candles forever. Use them
sparingly! Very sparingly.
Unless you have access to a beehive, you should assume that in any
prolonged large scale disaster, whatever parafin wax you have, is all you
will ever have.
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid) A Knowing how to
make your own soap from ingrediants can go a long way toward helping your
laundry efforts. Bear in mind that the liquid laundry detergents is more
made for washing machines, than handwashing. Don't store things without
testing how they work for you.
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags A or B, depending on scenario. If you continue to live in
your home, a duffel bag might not be very useful at all. If the civilis interruptus is extended,
carrying things on your back will probably become a pretty normal
activities. I wouldn't go overboard here, but having extra bags that work
well for general cargo may well be very handy.
58. Garden tools & supplies A+, but this item combines with item 32 Buy quality. Never assume you'lll always
be able to head over to wally world and buy another 2.99 garden trowel
after the last one made of compressed cardboard is worn out.
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies A, but learn how to use those tools
first! Are you going to make new clothing or patch what you are
wearing? It is also a good
idea to have a basic idea of how to tan leather. You may not need to setup
your own full tannery, but knowing how to turn that dear into a few pairs
of gloves and shoes may end up being more than just a nice thing to know.
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc. A, with all the other food items
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) A (to purify water, etc.)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax) A, if the scenario is long term and you have
access to quantities of fruits and veggies. Parafin wax has other uses, so havig a
good quanity of it on hand is a good idea. If you're able to grow even a
little extra, being able to hold onto it may be the difference between life
and death later.
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel A Learn how to use these before you need to depend on
them. A sharpening stone can ruin the edge of a blade as easily as it can
improve it.
|
|
64. Bicycles....Tires/tubes/pumps/chains,
etc A++ And tools to
repair it Know how to
correctly repair them as well. Many injuries in the shop happen when trying
to substitute force for knowledge and experience. Injuries that are minor
today can be life threatening if medal supplies or care are unavailable.
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats A++ Cant say enough good things about having
enough blankets and sleeping bags to stay warm at night.
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered) A if you're burning wood or other fuels in the
house. This is nice, but
in a finite battery situation, the better solution is to find ways to heat
the house that allow for venting outside. A good quality professionally (or
at least correctly) installed wood burning stove should fill this need in
colder areas.
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice A or B, depending on your psychological needs.
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer B (If #40 tells us to get a big dog, why
shouldn't #68 tell us to procure a smart cat?)
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets This belongs with #68
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks) B or C This advice makes the disaster
scenario appear either short lived or something like a picnic. For short to medium term disasters, having disposable
cutlery and plates will reduce your need to use water to wash dishes.
Depending on your water situation this saving may be minor or critical.
With paper plates, every meal generates a little kindling for the next
fire. In an outdoor short term survival situation a continuous fire is
desireable, if you're staying in your home for that same time you may be
better off using minimal fuel and just making your future fires easier to
light.
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of
water) B+
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc. A (Belongs in the clothing list)
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave) A
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels) A, especially if you plan on using water
barrels
75. Soy sauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase A Part of the food list, which seems to
be scattered throughout this entire list. Stored food should be one
item.
76. Reading glasses A (if you need them) C (if you don't)
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers) A Yet another of the endless food items.
78. "Survival-in-a-Can" ? Is this a food or a source of heat? A portable wilderness style survival kit
may be very good if travel turns out to be required, but of somewhat less
use for weathering the disaster in your home.
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens A Depends on climate where you
live. All clothing should be in one item.
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog A
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO) B or C, depending on your home. Most people will find they can benefit
from extra insulation, but have your home heating and insulation audited
and checked now, dont wait until trouble to consider how to use less heat
to keep the house warm enough.
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky A (another food item)
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts ditto on the food
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras) ditto on the clothing list It is however, important to note that if
your current lifestyle depends on being able to run several loads of
laundry a week, you do not have enough of whatever types of clothing you
are running out of.
85. Lumber (all types) C or D. If you have the feeling you might need something
built, build it now! Storing lumber is very diffiucult; it twists and
bows, and takes a lot of space. Sun and rain destroys lumber. One
thing you should make sure to have in preparation, is basic supplies to
repair your home should it be damaged. Lumber is part of this, but so is
plastic sheeting, roofing supplies, pipe patches, adhesive window repair
film. The list goes on, but knowing how to use each of them is just as
critical. You don't want to be figuring out how to repair a minor leak on
your roof at that point.
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from) Can't grade; too odd an item. Does the
author mean a wheelbarrow? Handcart like the pioneers used? Bike
trailer? What will you be hauling? Whatever cart or trailer type item of
human powered transport you have access to, and room to keep is worth
considering. Taking advantage of the wheel makes it possible to move far
greater weights, further than you can carry them on your back.
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's Depends on scenarion of the disaster. If
you're at home, sleep in your bed. Cots and air mattresses if you are
driven out of your home by earthquake, hurricane, flood, other natural
disaster. These items may
make it easier and more comfortable to bring in friends and family who are
displaced from their own homes.
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc. A clothing
89. Lantern Hangers A should be with your lanterns. Why separate hangers
from lanterns? For inside the
home, lantern hangers that can be installed where light is needed encourage
safe use of flame based light, forcing you to carry the lantern where you
need it instead of leaving multiple light sources burning. The tripod style
lantern hangers are worth having, but will be more used if you're displaced
from your home.
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts A, but why not call this one general tools and
hardware to repair things around the house. Homeowner skills useful
too. Skills of all
kinds are critical, in the big picture skills often trump material
preparations.
91. Teas C no nutritional
value herb teas take up
very little space and stay good for a long time. Comfort and morale items
can be very helpful in keeping spirits up. Giving up is one of the reasons
people fail to survive, morale is important. In cold weather herb tea is
also more palatable than just drinking hot water.
92. Coffee F no nutritional value
93. Cigarettes F, except they can be useful to barter if they're relatively
fresh
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,) C, even if used for barter, bribes, etc. Stocking up on rubbing alcohol for
medicinal (and fuel) purposes costs about a tenth as much, and is far more
effective. Ingesting liquor for pain management increases bleeding.
95. Paraffin wax A+
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc. A (goes with #90)
97. Chewing gum/candies B These may assist
in morale, or be usefull if you're forced to travel overland. Depending on
the duration of the disaster, candy may be a more effective bribe than #94.
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing) B Do we mean sprayers, like we use for
ironing?
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs A Part of the clothing all should
have. Think in terms of camping clothing.
100. Goats/chickens A. If a disaster scenario hits and you don't already have
goats or chickens, you likely won't be able to put together the necessary
runs, fences, etc. to keep these otherwise useful animals. Chickens
are far more useful than goats. They lay eggs, can be used to keep
bug populations down, and for meat. Goats will eat your garden
and the bark off your fruit trees, and they need annual shots,
etc. Sheep would be better for many things, but neither as useful as
chickens in a suburban yard. Just some chicken wire and posts and
you're set for chickens. Some areas are zoned against chickens, so be aware of
the law before setting up a coop. Another option that is available is
rabbits. They don't lay eggs, so in that respect they are no competition
for chickens. They can however be used to keep your lawn short, and need
very little else to eat. They also can be considered pets, making it harder
for local zoning to forbid them. As you might imagine, they are prolific
breeders. They also make for good eating and soft leather. A few rabbits
kept as pets can be the basis of a small herd of food animals.
The original author of the list obviously
padded the list with many duplicate types of items to reach the nice round
number of 100. That said, there is a lot of good items to think about, and
the predictions of these items disappearing from store shelves early may
well be correct. Anything on the list that you do not have in good supply,
that you will need should be stocked up before hand. Anything made by
processes that cannot be replicated at home, should either be stockpiled,
or a way to do without it should be found. You may not have to do without
it, but knowing how to do so may prove important.
Many of the above items presuppose certain
conditions that are not spelled out. Most important of the many
things left off the list were spiritual tools such as scriptures. I
believe the "scenario" we're worried about will go one for many
years, so some of the most important emotional strengths to have are
patience and resilience.
Okay - enough from me. If nothing
else, my comments caused you to really read the list and consider each item
on its own merits. So begin today assembling things for uncertain
days ahead. KES
|
|
Something else that is often not considered in
disaster preparedness is that the troubles may not come as a major event. It
may come upon us gradually, without any particular event that makes the
news. Socioeconomic problems can arrive with great fanfare, or just sneak up
with rising prices, inflation and increasing unemployment. Right now we in the
US have an access to goods and services unparalleled in the world. In many ways
we have the best opportunity to be prepared both mentally and physically of any
people on the planet, and yet because of this abundance we often do neither.
If you don't have the money to make large preparation steps now, it is still
better to put aside even a small portion of your budget for these things. For
examples of how this more gradual slide into troubled times can occur, read
accounts of survivors in countries such as Argentina in the past 15 years. See
to your home security now. Anything you would call the police, or animal
control for, needs to be something you can handle yourself.
9/30/09
Kirt's opinions of the
100 items to disappear first- family commentaries on an original email from
Logan. Read from bottom up.
Good morning! It has been fun reading all of this. I say I am
prepared, but not really. For instance, we have 3 large bundles in the trunk of
my Ply that have been there now for about 10 years. Maybe I have updated them
once since then. They have what passes for 72 hr kits in them- I hope.
Nothing but a blanket in the Jeep!
Then there is another 72 hour type kit in a red wheeling suitcase that I
made about 5 years ago, and it is in the garage up on a high shelf ( dad says)
which is totally useless to me. I think I have at least 20$ in each of them but
it could be more. I have no idea.
I have all papers of importance in the front room desk ( the one we
bought as our first piece of furniture in about 1951) and bags there to haul
them out in in case we had to leave. Also an empty pull bag behind a chair. We
have money saved too. No gold. Mostly quarters. Be sure and send this around to
everyone you know-- not!
We do try to keep both cars gassed up. I hope that we won’t ever have to
go anywhere. It would be because of a bad earthquake, most likely.
I do worry about the coming inflation and the devaluing of the dollar and
maybe replacement of it too. I want to pay our burials ahead. It is hard for
dad to make decisions. We shall see. Wow-- there was just a huge clap of
thunder! It is raining and snow expected in the mountains today! Last day of
Sept. We have been known to have some hefty snowstorms in Sept. so it is not
unusual. Then it gets warm and nice in Oct.
Andy's surgery is today. We pray it all goes very well.
Go ahead and make your sign now while you can find the cardboard and
paints. You know how it goes with big floods in Az. Love, Mom
ps I just got a note (skype) from Janna and she and Camilla are heading to the
Nauvoo Temple this morning!! Isn’t that great?
On Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 2:03 AM,
Jayne Macpherson wrote:
Did you get my contribution
below. The sign idea they will put you on TV! Paul is so funny! JM
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 11:09 AM
Subject: RE: Kirt's opinions of the 100 items to
disappear first
Good idea on the sign. I was thinking of adding something about
a sign, but couldn’t come up with the right wording. That was classic!
From: Jayne Macpherson
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 11:59 AM
To: Paul Stout
Subject: Re: Kirt's opinions of the 100 items to disappear first
This is hilarious!! You are always so funny Paul! You have the
funniest play on words or puns you are known the world over for your puns! I
sat here and read most of Logan's reply too. I haven't heard much from him in a
few years so it was fun to read his writing. I think the disasters may be like
Steve Pederson has been going thru with no job. We are all waiting for
"the big one" but just high prices and inflation makes it worth it to
have some extras around. Just for the record are they talking about having and
keeping a fire going IN your house during this disaster? What ever happened to
sitting on your roof with a big sign "help me" That is my plan.... so
far.... Love Jayne
From: Paul Stout
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:45 AM
To: Paul Stout
Subject: RE: Kirt's opinions of the 100 items to disappear first
Here’s my rebuttal to Logan’s
non-rebuttal:
The first 10 things to REALLY disappear:
1. Doritos
2. Oreos
3. All flavors of Breyers ice cream, except for fat-free vanilla
(if you’re in a panic, you want all the fat you can ingest)
4. Cigarettes – Just to keep the fires going
5. Alcohol – For “medicinal purposes only.”
6. Guns (hey, guns and alcohol go together!)
7. The National Enquirer – Shivering in your cold, dark basement,
protecting your two cans of pork & beans with your shotguns (that includes
protecting yourself from the big dog that you stupidly bought to protect you …
who now has turned on you and wants the pork & beans), you’ll need reading
material to keep your mind stimulated.
8. Saws – Good for making sawdust (to add to recipes to increase
bulk when you’re starving)
9. A1 Sauce – just enough to make shoe-leather taste good
10. A
map and enough gas to get you to Utah, where those Mormons have been storing
food like ants for years.
From: Logan Stout
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 11:12 AM
To: Kirtland Stout
Subject: Re: Kirt's opinions of the 100 items to disappear first
Logan's take on Kirt's take on the 100 things that could
disappear first.
This is not a rebuttal. In some
cases my point of view may be different, in many cases I may add something I
consider worth adding. I won't be grading the list entries, if only because a
home with an ample supply of every item on this list would possibly or even
probably have some unneeded items, but would nonetheless be better prepared for
trouble than 95% of their neighbors. Not only that, but any family seeking to
fulfill this list should be able to begin looking at their own lives in
contrast to the list and see where to add items. My comments will appear in
green for visual contrast.
Kirt's take on the
100 things that could disappear first.
While I believe the list is good and fulfills a purpose, it has its
flaws. So let's begin by getting the obvious out in the open for a
daylight evaluation.
The creator of the list is making a whole lot of assumptions. Let's list
a few of the most apparent:
1) The scenario envisioned
happens all at once with little time to prepare or stock up.
I believe that the list is
specifically written with the mass panic buying in mind that occurs whenever a
disaster is considered imminent. Rather than being a straight up shopping list,
this is a list of things to look over and make sure you already have those
items on the list you will need. Specifically because those items will be the
ones flying off the shelf first if the public's sense of calm is damaged. Also,
the sad reality seems to be that many people will leave preparation until the
threat is staring them in the face. This being the case, having an idea of what
items to prioritize may prove invaluable in crisis, although it is no
replacement for real preparation.
2) People have room to
store large quantities of the things listed.
Many families will have a hard time finding the space and budget
for disaster preparation. In many ways that issue is beyond the scope of any
simple list. However, always keep in mind available "non-storage"
space. Many items keep better when cool dark and dry, but not everything. The
crawl space under a house can provide a fairly temperature stable area of
storage for items that are not needed on the regular basis. The attic can be
used for those items not affected by temperature variances. Even apartment
dwellers often have spaces that are not convenient storage space, but is
available space nonetheless.
3) You won't be able to
trust your neighbors and friends.
While family and friends can be your best human resources in a
troubled time, your neighbors can go either way. The reason one can sometimes
be weighed and measured by their choice of friends is becuase it is just that,
a choice. Rarely (and by this I mean virtually never) are we able to choose to
live somewhere where every single neighbor is someone we are well matched with
in terms of morals, beliefs, and worldview. A neighbor with a mentality of
entitlement can become hostile if they perceive you has having an
"unfair" advantage due to your preparations.
4) The scenario is short lived
(else why bother with the number 1 item, generators?)
While one should never assume
the situation will only be temporary, you have to survive through the short
term to get to the long term. This is one of the reasons for the two year
supply. If you ever need the whole two years, you will probably need much more
than that, but that two years will allow you to have time to get up to speed on
the new reality you and your family find yourself in.
To put my own spin on it, I've given each item an A, B or C.
A = I agree that it should be on the list
B = Belongs on the list, but less important than items rated A or above
C = Should be dropped from this list
#1 item missed: a good solar oven and knowledge of how to use it.
This is so true, premade solar
concentrators and the materials to make more of the same are invaluable in any
utility interruption. The ability to get high temps without burning through
your finite and precious wood/fuel supply has many many applications in a
disaster situation from cooking to making cold nights a little easier to get
through.
#2 item missed:
wood-burning stove and lots of wood (in areas where it can be burned - obviously
not in apartment in the middle of large city.
One point about the wood burning
stove. It does not have to be large. A large stove is nice and heats an area
better, but a smaller one makes it possible to be do your cooking and heating
with less wood. Your choice should reflect your fuel availability.
Dumbest item: #40.
If you have a large dog, fine; keep stocked in lots of dog food. But why
would one even consider purchasing a large dog under the same set of reasons
for purchasing all the other items? The large dog advice doesn't pass the
logic test.
The original author's prediction may well be based on the idea that
people hungry enough, and desperate enough will buy dog food rather than starve.
Given the fairly stringent requirements for dog food in the US, I would tend to
agree that while this is certainly not the most desirable food, it is better
than nothing.
The big dogs (not so much the dogs you may have yourself, but the dogs that
willl take to the streets and countryside in hunger) themselves will probably
end up either being a food source, or a danger.
another note for a non-family member:
From a Sarajevo War Survivor:
Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and
friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks.
1. Stockpiling helps. but you never no how long trouble will last, so locate
near renewable food sources.
2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.
3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in war
quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold's.
4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the easiest to
do without (unless you're in a very nice climate with no need for
heat.)
5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without
heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy
- it makes a lot of
the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat
edible. Only needs
enough heat to "warm", not to cook. It's cheap
too, especially if you buy it in
bulk.
6. Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more
valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a
lot of survival
guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own
anyway - trust me, you'll
have a lot of time on your hands.
7. The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell you how
many
people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for
just a little bit of
toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in
fighting if you have to
lose your humanity. These things are morale-builders like
nothing else.
8.. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches
|
