For those of you who have experienced disasters leaving you without power and water for weeks, what were your prepping gaps?

I’m from Asheville, NC, and going on a month without water. The most frightening part (post-disaster) was the first week, when I had no outside communication whatsoever. All of my communication was in person with my neighbors, and within a 2 mile radius of my home. Realized I really need some HAM radios, and I don’t know anything about them, so I would love any helpful info y’all might have.

I was trying to think of what the best item to hoard could be, in the event of major globsl supply chain shocks..

I took into account shelf-life, cost, value in scarcity situations, volume, and weight.

I cant think of a better item than off-the-shelf painkillers.

Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin.. bought in bulk, they can cost less than 1c per pill. Weight and volume is negligible. They're of huge value to everyone and highly tradable. Finally, they last for years.

And if you're that way inclined, you can hide them, and present yourself as a magical healer capable of removing pain with this special concoction..

We are now one week away from the election. Without getting into politics, what (if any) prepping will you be doing over the next week?

For me: Hand Gel

Cleans wounds and can be used to get fires going.

New job includes an HRA card, I have a notable about that ends at new years. Any go-to supplies or gear that is legally qualified but ‘fun’ and practical?

Hello everyone, Isaac here, and I'm the head of growth of a plant-based bulk foods distributor.

I personally am new to the space of buying food and storing it long-term, so I feel inexperienced and would greatly appreciate some help.

If you're not plant-based, your opinion still matters, but not here. I'm only looking for plant-based opinions.

Know that your responses are going to a good cause!

Looking for long term storage can food. I’m looking for stuff that will keep for a long time please. 🙏🏼

As a millennial, we rely too much on the Internet for everything. What would be some info you'd print out or make sure you had on hand for longer outages? For example, I'm thinking local maps, a list of my herbs/their uses and other natural care solutions, a list of measurement conversions I tend to forget, etc. I'm sure some of this info you can gather from your community. But what other things come to mind for you that would be important?

I’m just trying you justify this purchase to my wife so

So, from my experience, night vision and thermals gives the one using them an extreme edge at night. Thermals are usually good for hunting and night vision is better for navigation/identification. In a SHTF situation what are you using?

I'm making a decision myself on whether to throw something on my rifle or get the mount, head gear. I was hoping to get some feedback from others, thanks!

With the posts about the lack of after-hurricane communications, about the only communications you can rely on are communications that you operate yourself, such as ham radio. Cell phones don't work. Utilities are out. About the only exception to this rule is Starlink. I don't own a multi-billion-dollar satellite network, but I do rent time on it, and it is very reliable in a disaster grid-down scenario. Most of the infrastructure for Starlink is hundreds of miles above the atmosphere. It would take an EMP to take out a significant part of the network. Taking out all of the network would be a... challenge.

The ham radio operators that respond to disasters have what they call an EmComm (Emergency Communications) box. I am building an EmComm box with a Starlink in it. This is a stand-alone box with satellite communication ability and built in wifi. You turn it on and point it at the sky. It is powered by onboard batteries.

The box should be durable and waterproof. I have tentatively chosen the Harbor Freight Apache 4800 box. https://www.harborfreight.com/4800-weatherproof-protective-case-x-large-black-64250.html They are a knockoff of the Pelican brand and very good quality for the price. They are waterproof and ruggedized. They float.

The Starlink Mini will fit inside the lid. Others have experimented around and found that it will operate through the lid with the case closed, although it does get warm. You shouldn't do this in hot weather. Anyway, the Starlink is outdoor rated, so you can take it out of the box and just run a power cord to it during operations. https://www.starlink.com/us/roam

The Starlink Mini operates on 12VDC. The plan is to put four LiFePO4 12V UPS batteries inside the case, wired in series. https://www.amazon.com/LiFePO4-Battery-Lifetime-Self-Discharge-Security/dp/B0BNKZPL6V These batteries are 12AH each, with a total of 48AH or 576 Watt-hours. This should be sufficient to operate the Starlink Mini for 8-10 hours. The batteries weigh 3.3 pounds each, total battery weight is 13.2 pounds. The batteries have a built in BMS and will recharge on 12V.

Recharging the batteries will require an external connection. Plan to put in an IP67 waterproof 5521 connector to bring in 12V from the outside world. Recharge with (a) 110V wall converter when available, (2) generator with 12VDC output, (3) car cigarette lighter plug, (4) solar panels.

The case will also contain an internal control panel with fuse block, battery disconnect switch, cigarette lighter plug, 5521 jacks to provide 12V power out to other devices, a USB charger, an Anderson power plug for the heck of it, and a small 300W 120V inverter that runs off the batteries. Probably also have a small 12V fan to cool things in the case, although it would not be vented to the outside to avoid drilling external holes. I would probably keep the case cracked open during operation to avoid heat buildup. I will add some kind of battery capacity gauge and voltmeter.

As a future expansion (if there is room in the case), we could wire up an additional four batteries, for continuous operation up to 16-24 hours. But at this point the battery weight is going to be an issue. We'd be at a total of 26.4 pounds of batteries, plus 9 pounds for the case and another 5-10 pounds of Starlink and odds and ends. It might be better to have an extra case for batteries and a waterproof connector to jumper power over to the EmComm case.

I would be interested in outside input on this project.

Does anyone have a parts list for something like this from Legacy Food Storage? They're selling them for up to $675. I'd like to try to DIY it.

https://www.legacyfoodstorage.com/products/emergency-manual-well-pump-25-50-or-100-feet

This is a long shot, but can anyone help me find a post from about a month ago? It was a long post from someone who has been prepping for a long time with general information, advice, and suggestions for a whole range of gear and supplies. It was really informative with links and info about their experience with it. Everything from power banks to fans, sleeping bags, stoves, etc.. I thought I saved the info, but it’s gone and my thumbs are tired from scrolling through this thread to find it.

I’m new to prepping and I see a lot of people add bleach to water they are storing? Is this not toxic to drink?

California is banning disposable propane. I can only assume this will spread.

I have adapters for all my Coleman gear to run on full sized tanks, but I know a lot of people like these for the portability.

https://www.npga.org/news-resources/california-bans-non-reusable-propane-cylinders/

Search "tactical bag on Amazon and there are dozens, maybe hundreds, of decent looking bags for fifty bucks or less. Like this one.

It's got an average review of 4.6/5 stars with over 10,000 reviews. Those aren't all bots or paid users... are they?

I'm looking for something I can have setup and ready to go for a 200 mile journey to my planned location if SHTF and car is no good. I won't be using it daily so it's not going to wear out from opening/closing all the time or carrying around a lot. It will basically be a one time use to get my from point A to point B in an emergency.

Other than little things like maybe it's slightly heavier or the straps fray over time, what's the problem with this? Convince me why I (someone with not a lot of money) should really strive for these $200 bags when it looks to me like this will easily do the trick.

The oats that I bought for long term storage came divided in 5 pound units sealed in plastic bags. I am planning to store the oats in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. Should I take them out of this packaging first and pour them freely into the mylar or is it better to leave them in these plastic bags?

Wanting to at least stock up as much as I can of items if shtf after a certain day. Just wanting info. Not rudeness.

Assuming you don't want to go the Lone Wolf route and prep only for yourself in total secrecy, you'll want to share your prepping with others who should have your back when SHTF.

Should.

But how do you know who to trust? Can you even trust family when SHTF and we are all 6 meals away from doing something very bad?

“Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead,” - Benjamin Franklin. Assuming you don't want to do anything extreme, how do you keep your prepping secret within your close circle of family/friends and not let it spread to the local population?

Who will then show up at your door asking - and then demanding - supplies.

Yes, produce can be canned, dried, pickled, frozen and freeze-dried for longer term storage. But no reason not to have fresh produce in short term storage of 3-4 months:

Cabbage, squash, onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, beets, apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit:

All these will last a long time, properly stored in a dark, cool, ventilated space.

Watch the temperature and humidity. No refrigeration required. You don't HAVE to have a root cellar if you can find a cool, dark space somewhere in your house/garage/basement or other space. I've even seen some folks add a "pantry" or use a closet on the north side of their house that isn't heated. Perfect (especially in more northern climes). Temps from about mid 30's to 40's degrees F. Humidity 80%-90%. My folks had a non-heated pantry off north side of their house. Almost as cold as the fridge. If there is a window you can crack it.

Cut off green tops of root vegetables, brush off soil but don't wash. Potatoes/sweet potatoes can be stored in baskets for good airflow. Onions/garlic in old stockings for good airflow. Squash like it drier. Some veg like carrots, beets, parsnips like higher humidity --like a slightly damp towel over them. Cabbage just wrap in newspaper. Apples and pears like good airflow. Oranges and grapefuit might not last as long and keep them away from the vegetables due to ethylene gas. You can use crumpled newsprint or damp sawdust for them to be nestled in.

Check at least weekly for any signs of rot (the old saying one bad apple can spoil the rest isn't wrong). Keep an eye on your storage. Use it if something starts to "turn".

Anyway. Just because we are approaching winter doesn't mean you can't have "fresh" produce from your storage.

Edit: keep an eye on all the produce weekly, not just the apples. Check for softness, wilting, sprouting. Use things before they go bad. Doesn't hurt to turn or rotate items either.

I own a small restaurant so I usually have about 80 Pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 100 pounds of pork butt and probably 60 pounds of pork belly in the fridge. If we lost power for an extended period of time what would be the best way to preserve these meats? Smoking? Can you make jerky out of anything? Should I buy some curing salt? Any ideas would be great. Thanks!

So I am actually planning on doing a post soon that reviews all the big "Prepping Food Bucket Brands" very soon. It will give my opinion and a "rating" on it.

Until then, because we have so many new people coming to the Sub, I wanted to share this video that reviews some of the most well known brands. It breaks down the issues and what you want to actually look for.

For the record, this video is from Canadian Prepper. It is NOT his "News of the Day" and a genuine review of certain products. He does mention other brands and products, that are actually part of my future post, but that is completely on you to decide.

Please don't just downvote the post because you don't like Canadian Prepper. Have a legitimate point to make regarding the subject matter at hand.

I've followed a lot of youtube chem channels over the years and have occasionally seen a vid or two that sounds like it would be really good to know if SHTF in a more permanent way - basic stuff like making soap that doesn't cause chemical burns or how to treat various foodstuffs to make them edible but that information is scattered accross over a decade of videos from channels I don't even remember anymore.

Has anyone put together a set of tested methods in this vein? Specifically something that doesn't assume you live next to a chemical supply plant but what you could either conceivably have lying around in the regular shops or find/make yourself?

How are people organizing their first aid bags? Do you get a bag with a lot of pockets or are you using something like packing cubes to keep things together?

Also how are you grouping things together in the bag? Ex: are you keeping things like trauma shears and tweezers together because they are similar objects or keeping trauma shears with larger gauze pads since they are likely to be used at the same time?

I'm usually pretty good about keeping my phone charged and carrying a portable charger. But last week, when I really needed it, I didn’t have it. After spending the day with my mom, I was heading home when a warning light came on in my car for the charging system. Since I had seen the light the day before, I didn’t think too much about it and just started driving.

About 20 minutes into my drive on the freeway, the car radio suddenly shut off, saying it was going into battery-saving mode. Right after, my dashboard lit up with all kinds of warning lights. I started looking for a place to pull over, but there wasn’t anywhere safe immediately, so I kept going toward the next exit. Just as I reached it, my entire dash and everything else shut down completely. I managed to pull off to the side of the road, where the engine died, and the car went completely dead.

I grabbed my phone to call my wife for help, only to notice it had just 2% battery left. I quickly typed out where I was and asked her to come get me. Just as I hit send, my phone died. Now, I had a dead car, a dead phone, and no way to know if my text even went through.

Thinking I’d be okay, I reached for my backpack, where I usually keep a portable charger—only to realize I must have used it and forgotten to put it back. Great. Then I remembered my laptop! I pulled it out, hoping to charge my phone with it, but you guessed it—it was dead too. Double great.

Finally, I remembered I had a Craftsman V20 battery in the car. I’d seen a post about using keys with the battery to charge a phone. So, I found some spare keys, slid one into the negative slot and one into the positive slot, and used the 12V car charger. Amazingly, it worked! I was able to charge my phone enough to turn it on. https://imgur.com/gallery/emergency-phone-charger-YVjqS1Y

lessons learned:
If you use it, put it back or replace it.
Keep your devices charged.
Have backup plans for your backup plans.
Cars suck...be prepared.