Hello all. Just joined. I've been prepping for a couple years now. But there are a lot of knowns and unknowns. "There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know." -D.R. Guess I'm here to see if I can find any bite you in the ass unknown unknowns.
Oh, I'd count on it. Give us an idea of how far you think you have your bases covered and I'm sure a few will jump in and show you any holes.
Let's see, I am in suburbia. I've laid in a good supply of food, water, a few non-infringable items, and of course TP. I have a gas SUV, for what it's worth, and a dog as a backup alarm. Working on improving storage organization, and candles for backup light, and looking into water filtration and purification systems but know little. What I know I don't have BOL, backup electricity, backup heat if natural gas stops, a supply of gas for SUV, a defensible location, or like minded community. I do not have a sustainable source for fresh water, space for food crops, fuel for heat or cooking. I am basically prepared as long as things don't get too bad. But I'm somewhat hitting a brick wall. I'm feeling like I have essentially done what I can do. Big ticket items are out of my reach at this time, and I'm locked into my location. But I've probably missed some things that are doable, and didn't see some alternative strategies. Thoughts?
You are prepared for a power outage after a storm. I'd call that short term, which is important to have but I think your medium and long term still needs development.
+1 Prepping is a step wise process. You are at a couple days, headed for a week or so. When you get there, aim for 2 weeks, then a month, then three months. Around there, you'll be in position to start on self sufficiency (as in gardening for life after the infrastructure is collapsed.) Two things can happen on this path: Firstly, the magnitude of the job can get to you, and you quit. Secondly, the magnitude of the job can be put into perspective, it can't be done all at once. You just have to keep plugging away until it's a done deal (which it never will be, but that's no excuse.) Something to be on the lookout for along the path is what I call the crisis of the day. There will be a new one in the mainstream media, or in the blogosphere just about every hour that passes. Set your goals longer term, add the "warning of impending disaster" to your list of things to do, and handle it in due course. Odds are you'll never need a blast shield over your head if the sky falls anyway. Welcome to the wonderful, useful, and unending hobby of preps.
It is hard to argue with the truth. I have over a years supply of food, 3 months supply of glass bottled drinking water, maybe twice that for sanitation. Yet I am really not prepared for the loss of utilities. While electricity I can get by without even in winter as we have ventless gas fireplaces. But if the gas goes out in winter we're going to be making a puppy pile under the blankets. I've started looking at wood furnace backups, but would like to find one that has self powered fans, so it could run without electricity. Sewage disposal would be a real problem. Location really is the biggest problem. Our house sits on a mere quarter acre. I doubt enough crops could be grown to keep a mouse family well fed. There probably isn't space to put a generator at recommended 25+ feet from residence. I wonder if gas stoves and furnaces can run on a propane backup. I know that my acreage is not technically sufficient for a well. But I wonder if one could be put in in secret. Any one heard of anyone doing that? I'm not trying to make excuses. And moving to a more rural location is obviously the only real solution. But I'm looking for the best alternative suburban solutions. Trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
If you are fairly close to a rural area, chances are pretty good you can find a friendly farmer that would rent you a garden plot that would do well. So far as backup water supply goes, if the water table is not too deep, you could maybe do some digging, and of course there's the rain barrel and gray water collection schemes that you probably already have. Sanitation will be there as long as there is water to flush with, since it's pretty clear you are on a sewer system. (If that goes out, the problem is compounded, and a hand dug pit by the back fence looks viable. No fence, get your backyard neighbor to help dig; two family one holer.) The 25 feet that they want you to keep between the house and the gennie goes away in dire straights, it's a fire department concern, not one of practicality. That said, you should have a shed or shelter of some kind to keep storms from affecting the machine when you need it. Mine is stored in the garage, and gets hauled out and put under the deck in use. Not optimal, but beats freezing in the dark, and there is some weather protection there. Read fireplaceguy's posts for backup heat ideas. He's our go to guy for fires.
