Remembering winter

[bill_schubert]

As the world is well aware, Texas was without power for a while last winter.  With it came the realization that I was woefully unprepared for no power, no water.  The constant warnings of repeats of such (and although there is no such thing in Texas as climate change, there will be repeats) sent me to the FEMA site for a list of what I should have on hand.  I thought I might get lucky and have what I need from Amazon pop up on the bargain days.  Didn't happen.

Regardless I'm moving forward.  I'm thinking at the rate we're going we may have power loss (and therefore water loss) again.  So I bought an emergency radio/powersource/kind of thing.  It is actually pretty nice and reasonably priced.   And a water purification system.  I'll add some emergency food and lots of water.  They say 72 hours but we really needed longer last winter.  

I've got an LDS friend and apparently they maintain a year's worth of emergency provisions.  If society can't reknit itself in less than a year we're in the middle of a Walking Dead episode and I'm going to find Negan and get a job.

I'm not sure any of the above makes me a prepper.  I haven't even bought the required Mossberg much less an AK.

Comments

[maju01.livejournal.com]

That power source thing is intriguing. I'll be interested to see your review of it.

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I looked at several different ones but since I don't have anything to compare it to I'm not sure what is important. But I'll test it and see how it works and give some feedback.

[anais-pf.livejournal.com]

Nope, you're not a prepper yet, just a sensible person who is more prepared for an emergency than you were. I am prepared for a week or two of no power, no water, no food, and I think that's sufficient for most emergencies. Though I need to replace my battery powered radio, which decided it was no longer a radio during our last power outage (Hurricane Isaias, power outage August 4-7 last summer after the freaking storm had already passed).

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

Yeah, looking at this summer it seems nearly as dangerous as last winter. And we don't even get hurricanes up this far.

[susandennis]

i used to work with two LDS guys and i always told them they were my best friends even now when there was no apocalypse and so i didn't need to cash in on their cache. they were patiently amused always.

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

One of the breakfast group is LDS. He has a 500 Gal water tank and contributed to his neighbors when the water was off. Definitely an issue. If you have more than someone else then the decisions get dicey pretty quick.

[susandennis]

family bomb shelter deja vu... never figured it out in the 60's either

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

Oh, expecting more fake snow this year?:) In my hobby as a Qanon-watcher I got to see all the lunatic conspiracy theories last year about the power cut, and also to laugh at all the Q and other preppers who had tons of guns, ammo and canned food, but nothing to warm the food up on or to keep themselves warm with. An AK is a cold companion on an unheated winter's night. Your preparations are disappointingly sane.

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

Yeah, no firearms for me. I'd get a shotgun if I felt unsafe but I don't. I think a little work will take care of what we need.

[taz-39.livejournal.com]

Sounds smart to me!
I was building such a kit when I was in the circus, because sometimes our generator would break down and we would be in the middle of nowhere without water, heat, or power.

[amw.livejournal.com]

Ah, great minds. I just bought a Sawyer mini to keep in my bag in case i run out of water on a hike or bike ride. I always keep a 10000mAh power bank and couple of energy bars in there too. Spoiler alert: i am pondering doing a bit of bike touring after i get fully vaxxed.

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

I've never had one but I never really did any long term camping kind of stuff. I think having one along with ten or so gallons of water will be good. And a food kit that will last forever.

I always wanted to bike tour Vietnam for some reason. Never got there when it was so popular with the Army in the 60's so I wanted to go in the 80's instead but never got it together. I'm kind of beyond touring now.

[sleepybadger.livejournal.com]

That radio/powersource thing looks nice! I keep getting ads for a solar powered generator but it's something like 3 grand, and I don't feel it's worth it. Of course, if we have no power for a week, I will be singing another tune. We just had a tornado touch down 3 miles from my house so it's definitely on my mind.

I didn't realize LDS folks maintained a years worth of emergency provisions! I had thought about getting a water distiller, but that requires power. Also, we live in a <1000 square foot house and I don't know where I would store any serious emergency provision type stuff other than maybe in the garage, but I wouldn't be able to store water there in the winter.

Also, I don't think you count as a prepper.... yet ;)

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

I think I'll round up ten or so gallons of water and stash them in the garage. Worst case is they will taste bad over time. It will require occasional replacement but I'll put it on the same schedule as swapping out the AC filter or something. And some emergency food. They do make kits with food that lasts forever. I may donate some indoor closet space for all this now I think about it. At least the food and water. We'll see.

[barefoot-soul.livejournal.com]

There is nothing wrong with bein prepared to some kind of emergency. I think that’s very smart of you. And I agree…I’d find Negan too!!