Preparedness – Page 5 – The Laughing Wolf

Some Thoughts On Building Underground

If this seems a bit disjointed, blame it on this being baking day. I’m working on this between all the do-and-waits on the bread. Which means I write a bit, dash back upstairs to do-whatever to the dough, then come back and try to pick up my train of thought.

I’ve mentioned a time or two my desire to build a home underground wherever I end up. That desire remains, though I have worked it down to two basic concepts that might be within reach of my finances, particularly if I win the lottery.

Now, one option that I’ve had to toss as it truly is not possible absent a massive influx of cash is to find an old missile silo and turn it into a home. I actually know where one is out in Arizona, though it is not currently for sale. Given circumstances, and it being well buried at this point, I would not only refurbish and re-do the silo and control center, I would build a somewhat underground house above it, and a humble abode on the surface to mask what lies beneath. That’s a post in and of itself one day, but it would ride out most disasters quite nicely.

Which leaves the other two options. One is building into an existing mine. The second is to build a structure out of shipping containers and bury it.

Now the first has a lot of potential, if you can find the right type of mine. Most of the mines I found out in Arizona were not what you see in Hollywierd. Rather, they are excavations that meander and work around some of the hard rock and are quite organic if you will. There are few straight lines and large chambers unless nature made them. You can build into them, but they will require a lot of work and you will need to build structures within them to be weather (and critter) tight.

Now, out in the Texas panhandle and elsewhere, you have mines that are more typical of Hollyweird: straight shafts in, square(ish) chambers, tunnels on multiple levels, etc. You still would need to put walls and/or structures in place for many of them, but not all of them. There was a B&B-type place I saw an ad for out in the Texas panhandle where they mostly utilized the existing walls and structures, adding glass and walls as needed to make it weather and critter tight.

I will note that caves are an option and I’ve seen more than one turned into beautiful homes. For me, however, the price of the land is a non-starter. That said, if you have the means it is something to consider though the natural ventilation of caves will be an issue to be considered for certain disasters.

Right now, what I’m looking at — being a remote possibility — is to buy some land, excavate, and go in with modified shipping containers. I did have some more elaborate plans, but have downsized those via eliminating all but minimum needs. In fact, the only two things where I want to get semi-extravagant are with the kitchen and the library. More on that in a bit.

I’m playing with some ideas, but the structure would consist of a kitchen/great room/access to a guest room; a library; a chapel; storage; and a master bed and bath. Now, if you need it you can add more bedrooms, and if worried about housing in an emergency I’ve got some ideas on double containers as bunkroom and bath. For me, as things stand now, I’m looking at the minimum and adding to it if and as needed.

Note: when doing containers like this, plan on adding arched roofs. This improves structural strength, water drainage, and more. Doesn’t need to be a huge arch, but it needs to be there and not a flat roof. There also needs to be extra preparations for drainage as well as utilities, but that may be a post of it’s own.

My basic thought is to have a single container going in, with a quarter or half container entering into it about three quarters of the way down. That entry leads into the great room/kitchen/etc. set-up.

While it is not the best way to do things on some levels, I would like to have the kitchen with some energy-efficient disaster-resistant windows (not huge) looking outside. Part of that is knowing that from a psychological standpoint having such access is a good thing. Part goes back to childhood and the window in our kitchen as well as the windows in the kitchen of an aunt’s house where that side of the family often gathered. I should note that both sides of the family have always tended to gather in the kitchen rather than anywhere else.

The kitchen I want to do right. As in Viking double range if insurance won’t let me do commercial; extra oven or baking set-up; two refrigerators; meat aging and brining refrigerator set-up; large freezer (or two); commercial sink arrangement; lots of counter space. If I thought I could get away with it, wood-burning pizza/baking oven. No saintly moderation in setting this up I’m afraid.

The great-room would be a place to relax, entertain, and should include a fireplace or wood stove. A bathroom and guest room/bath should be just off it.

The chapel could be two half- or quarter-containers, and you should be able to get there from the master bedroom and the kitchen/great room area.

The master bedroom is not intended to be huge, but more functional. In some ways thinking more European on the bathroom (tile, etc.) and if needed you could use a quarter-container as a walk-in closet.

Now, the library is where I would like to go hog wild. Here are a few modest examples that I think have the potential to become a real library, even if only in the home:

I may sketch a few things out soon, but maybe tomorrow I will get into some of the prep and what I think would need to be done for a good underground house. This is a start, and while the photos above are a bit modest, they do have the potential to become a good home library.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Pray & Prepare

The verdict in the show trial of Donald Trump should surprise no one. It was a foregone conclusion from the start, and the antics of the “prosecution” and “judge” were farcical to the point of making Chinese, Soviet, and Nazi show-trail judges shake their heads. There was absolutely nothing fair, proper, or even legal about the proceeding.

Those telling you to respect the jury system, the rule of law, etc. are telling you exactly who and what they are, and who they serve on Earth and beyond. This is especially true for non-Democrats doing such. Make note of them and shun them, for they are not your friends, comrades, or allies.

Those gloating in the guilty on all counts verdict, even when none can tell you the crime committed other than Trump being Trump and winning the election, the same applies. They do not respect rule of law, our Constitutional Republic, and are happy to go watch any they consider their enemies die horrible deaths in the local arena for their pleasure and to remind the masses what fate awaits those who oppose the state.

Indeed, what we are seeing used to be the norm and while many are pointing out the similarities to the late Roman republic, you can see it in modern China and other countries where to lose power is to condemn you and your family to rather nasty deaths or slavery. It was one of the reasons why our Founders enshrined the peaceful transfer of power as a foundation of the Republic, and it was one of the first times such has worked for any length of time.

Undermining both the Rule of Law and a Justice (not legal) system, that was to be equal for all, kicks two crucial supports out from under the Republic. It’s been clear for a while we had a two-tier system of justice (if not further divided) and that the rule of law was dead — especially when it comes to individual liberty, individual property rights, individual right of self-defense… I could go on, but if anyone has missed the points made by Ruby Ridge, Waco, the extra-judicial murders of various online cranks (see here for one example of several) and those daring to exercise their second amendment rights (see also prosecution here where ‘the 2nd amendment doesn’t exist in my court rooom’), or even self-defense and the defense of others (see here for one example). Yes, I do mean to say extra-judicial murders: what else should one call it when raids are conducted with no-knock/no-announcement, at early or odd hours, only when target present, no body cameras, target cameras taped over, etc. in defiance of law and regulation? There are many more examples for you, and it is clear the ATF, FBI, etc. have taken the lessons of the KGB (and the Gestapo) to heart with early morning raids and the deliberate mistreatment of family and others even after killing their target. This was actually a good discussion on X about this yesterday.

In their ignorance and arrogance, those desperate to cling to power and corruption have chosen to do anything needed for that end. That they are sowing a wind that will reap them a whirlwind that could plunge the world into darkness (not hyperbole, but a subject worthy of more than one long post) does not even cross their minds. They foolishly believe they can control this, use this to create more J6-style detentions and trials, and cow the rabble into submission. They are at best fools, and we may all pay the price for it.

As for those who think they will stop with just fines or a slap on the wrist in this Trump trial, what makes you think that given all they have done they will go to half measures now? They are making an example to discourage anyone from challenging them again. I will be amazed if it is not the maximum possible sentence in prison. Further, as I mentioned here before, I told another writer almost two years ago that if Trump showed any possibility of winning or did win, that he would not live to take office. I fully expect that he, and his family, will be killed. Most likely by a deranged individual that has been encouraged if not aided to do exactly that ‘to save our democracy’. If you think this is too much, look back at all the mass shooters (and there is a trans connection there too) who were ‘known subjects’ to the FBI and other law enforcement. Seriously, go back to the Pulse nightclub shooting and move forward. Take a look at the knowledge and even relationships between them and LE. Coincidence?

Think that those currently in power won’t do something like that? History, including recent history, says different. The Biden Regency and others clinging desperately to power more than live up to Amb. Molari’s quote on arrogance and stupidity in one neat package. As I said above, they really do think they can control and use what is to come. I think them fools.

That said, the first thing I think we should do is pray. We need to pray for the Republic, we need to pray for guidance, and we need to pray for the worst not to happen for this could well set the world on fire (think Ukraine, China, ME, etc. where they want more endless wars) and plunge it into darkness for centuries. Worst case, but still a case I can make quite easily.

Last night, Sarah A. Hoyt brought up Psalm 7 on X. It is a good one to read right now. It is a good one to pray. Right now, especially with all the Fed Boi’s on social media working as hard as they can to get people to say or do stupid things so they can pull out the J6 playbook again, Prayer is the best thing we can do. Please don’t be stupid and fall for the provocations.

Second best thing we can do is prepare. In this case, not just with physical supplies, but mental and spiritual as well. Quickest way to prevent something is to plan for it, so plan for that worst case. In addition to food and such, tuck away in secure storage copies of Locke and the others who influenced the Founders of our Republic; copies of the books and textbooks from the late 1800’s to around 1910, for they covered history, philosophy, language, and more; tuck away books on how to do things, from how the Romans did plumbing to how the pioneers preserved foods and cooked; and, tuck away Christian writings including the Bible, for Progressives worship the state and loathe those who worship God. Remember, you will eat the bugs and wear the rags and like it, and you will not have any other god but them and the state. Prepare accordingly.

Worst case covered, plan for now. For all that I think every effort will be made to ensure a dishonest election, vote. Encourage others to vote. Vote as if your life and the lives and future of your family depend on it. Vote not for individuals (put not your faith in the princes of men), but for the Republic and those who will support and defend same. If you get a stupid law or order, malicious compliance is a thing. Even at great cost, fight any injustice done unto you and any effort to erode your rights and liberties. Document, turn Alinsky back on them and make them live up to their statements. They won’t, but that just makes it easier to document, point, and laugh and ridicule them. They can’t stand the latter, so make as much fun of them in as many ways as you can. They truly are ridiculous, so share it far and wide. When they do things (or are caught), point it out and do so in a way that makes people laugh at them. It truly is their kryptonite, though expect backlash and examples to be made of those who dare do it.

Now, some of you were already doing this step long before it became a thing, but look at the Benedict Option and how it can (still) be implemented. For all that I am not a fan of Mr. Dreher, he has pushed a good idea for people of Faith. Some of you have already done something similar, pulling together in communities with shared ideals and grouping together people with needed skills should things go towards the worst case. It is a good idea, and if I get the chance to move (once health assured) would love to join such a grouping.

All that said, and as far as the Republic has fallen, I still think we are not yet beyond repair and redemption. For a musical take, I think we are still On The Border in regards the opportunity to recover and restore the Republic. That said, I think we are rapidly approaching the point of The Story In Your Eyes and having to go from the ashes we can build another day. I really hope that we can avoid, for this or any other reason, needing to play Genesis Ch1, V32 as a theme song. If you need something to buck you up, I like Victory despite disagreeing with some of the lyrics. If you need something a bit more martial, may I suggest Preliator? I’m afraid, however, that some of us — even now — may end up needing to play Winterborn, but if so let those who do and those who remember them wear and remember their names with pride. For there will be martyrs created by those who seek power for themselves, their children, and grandchildren no matter the cost. Best is to put Faith into Prayer, and hope for the ballot box and the courts, despite the strong efforts underway to de-legitimize both.

So, buck up. It may not be easy or fun, but few worthwhile things rarely are such. Be prepared, keep your family and friends close, and your things where you can find them in the dark. Pray.

UPDATE: This is a good, if short, read on the Romans, looking forward to the promised parts to come. If you want good, first-hand history on China, show trials, and more, allow me to recommend Xi Van Fleet. As always, Stephen Green/Vodka Pundit, is doing some good work. One of several I think. Lot of good takes at Hot Air.

LTS: Sealing The Bags

Last week, I talked about layers of protection and the need to seal bags. I’ve been putting off talking about the sealing as I had the opportunity to try a 16″ impulse sealer, and was given the strong impression it could and would handle the 5-gallon mylar bags. First, let’s look at some of the options for sealing.

Here we have a small impulse sealer often advertised for resealing chip bags and the like (crisp bags for the Brits). Next to it is the venerable iron, which is good for much more than clothes. At the top, the extra-long impulse sealer.

The little bag sealer is touted for resealing bags and sealing a variety of small bags. Short and sweet: I was and am spectacularly unimpressed with it. Save the $8 or whatever.

The iron, set to wool, does a good job with the mylar bags. The drawbacks for me are getting a uniform width on the seal, and not overdoing it on the heat. That said, this is a good way to go, especially if you are on a budget. As an FYI, I use a scrap piece of lumber covered in cardboard as my sealing surface. Works like a charm.

If you get a good impulse sealer, they are wonderful for a uniform seal and can be adjusted for a variety of bag thicknesses and even bag types. The drawbacks are that there are far too many out there that don’t work as advertised and some apparently go through internal fuses and heating elements like candy.

The one I got to try did a good job on most bags, but despite the length it did NOT fit the 5-gallon bags as indicated. This meant that I had to do two (or more) sealings at various angles to get a full seal. Thinking it best to do those (and liners) with an iron. Glad to have tried it, but if you are looking for something to handle the 5-gallon bags in one go, this isn’t it. Save some money and get a smaller to do the most common bags.

As I noted before, for Long Term Storage (LTS) I do recommend sealing the bags and not just using the inner ziplock. For short or medium term, you can get by with just the inner seal. To me, it’s all about the layers and making it as redundant as possible to limit any leakage of light, air, or water into what is being stored.

Questions or suggestions, sound out! I’ve already picked up some good tips from you, and hope some of what I do may have returned the favor. With the way things are headed, not a bad idea to have a few things tucked away.

Remember, there is no such thing as Preparedness Club. Meantime, be safe, be prepared, keep your friends and family close, and your things where you can find them in the dark. More soon.

Quick Thoughts On EMP Preparedness

In the comments on this post on metal containers for Long Term Storage (LTS), Steve brought up the topic of EMP, and I thought it would be good to do a quick post looking at how to prepare for EMP, Carrington Events, and even a bit on lightning.

The fact is, there are a number of natural events that can dump large loads of energy into systems not designed for them. There are also acts of man that can do the same. In some cases, there may be warning. In others, particularly the acts of men, not so much. Let’s take a look at some of the threats, then we can get into what preparations you can make.

EMP stands for Electro-Magnetic-Pulse, and is best known as being the result of a nuclear bomb exploding. While there are some natural events that can produce EMP, most of what we have to worry about come from nuclear weapons and other devices designed to create EMP. It is a matter of public record that there are a number of non-nuclear devices, sometimes referred to as e-bombs, that can produce damaging EMP. One of the big worries the pros have is a terrorist group/rogue state using such a device in or above the U.S.

That great big fusion reactor that is our sun also throws out energy on a regular basis beyond mere sunlight. Sunspots, coronal flares, and coronal mass ejections can give us everything from the aurora borealis to the Carrington Event in the 1800s that dropped enough energy onto Earth that it powered the telegraph systems. If memory serves, we have even seen some ejections headed away from Earth that if they came at us would qualify as a Extinction Level Event (ELE). Those of somewhat lesser power would wreak havoc on the power grid, electronics, and communications.

There are also some apparently naturally occurring phenomena that produce energy pulses that don’t qualify as EMP, but can affect electronics and power. If what I remember is correct, we really don’t understand some of these events and as such we may not have a good read on what they can do.

The other thing that can throw large amounts of energy around is lightning. More localized than the others, but something to factor into your planning. Speaking from experience, having that much energy hit systems not designed for it can have interesting and even catastrophic effects.

Now, how can you prepare for such things? In the comments, Gryphon has a great suggestion: the American Radio Relay League, known today as ARRL. They have a good bit of information on dealing with pretty much all of the above.

Given the amazing amount of damage done by lightning each year, it is well worth implementing protections for your home, which will also help those within. I’ve used industrial-grade surge protectors for years when I could not do a whole-house system. Pro Tip: If the surge protector doesn’t have a $10,000 or better warranty, it’s not a real surge protector. The company that made the ones I used the most back in Huntsville ended up buying me a large screen TV. They may have also been the ones who paid me to ship it back so they could do a failure analysis on it.

Also, near and dear to my heart (pun pun), when buying or building check to see how often lightning hits in that area. For some reason, certain locations seem to attract hits. If the property is one such, look elsewhere. If there is one tree in the area that gets hit a lot, cut it down. Side note, my landlord did cut down the tree at the root of my getting hit. I’m good with that.

When it comes to other events, Gryphon in his comment makes a good point. The best protection is not to be plugged in.

EMP and dangerous surges are going to do more damage when you have a larger “antenna” as it were. The miles and miles of transmission lines that are part of our power grid make for a huge antenna. Solar events will give at least some time for warning. Barring terrorist attacks, the rising tensions should give some warning. When things are tense or the boffins are weaseling on what the sun is doing, get in the habit of unplugging appliances and electronics. If you know things are bad or a major solar storm (or a severe lightning storm) is about to hit, I’d recommend flipping your main to off. The more gaps in the system, the better.

Under those circumstances, I’m also going to be putting my laptop, emergency radio, other electronics, chargers, and things with transformers (lots and lots of wire) into one of the metal cannon ammo cans. For most things that aren’t an ELE, they will likely provide sufficient shielding. I can hook them to a ground at need as well. And for general preparedness, but particularly in the event of something like this, have some GOOD radios for communications as you might not have the internet or cellular service for a while. The $5 special at the big box store is not what you want, go for something a bit better. Yet another good reason to check out ARRL for advice, or to get into real radios if you or someone in your family/group gets into it. Me, I sucketh worse than a Hoover at Morse…

Given that you might not get warning for acts of men, it would not hurt to have that can already filled with an emergency radio (crank & multiple power sources), personal com radios, solar charger(s), other chargers, and other electronics or backup electronics you think are needed. Use the personal com radios on a regular basis so you are familiar with them and are keeping them ready to go.

As for vehicles and all the computers in them, well, that’s a good question. I’ve had people tell me that newer cars will be okay overall. I’ve had yet others say the opposite. I’ve put my own car issues on hold for now, but leaning towards something that might not have as many computers and won’t snitch on me. The short take from others is that if you have a metal garage, you should be okay with most events; if there is terrain/earth between your vehicle and the source, you should be good; and, if you are at a sufficient distance from man-made events, you should be good. My personal take is that no one knows for sure, but am hoping for the best, planning for the worst and will take what comes.

Please do take lightning seriously, and plan and prepare for it. If you do, you will find you have done a lot to EMP-proof your home and electronics. There even could be insurance and other benefits to doing it as well. If you get and stock that can, and unplug as much as possible if things get dicey, you’ve done about all you can. Just some quick thoughts that I wanted to share.

Plastic For LTS

Plastic gets a deservedly bad rap on occasions. A number of cheap plastics leach bad things into food or other items stored in them. Cheap plastics will also turn brittle relatively quickly, sometimes even in less than a year. Yet other plastics don’t readily biodegrade and/or contributed to microplastics in the environment. Modern biodegradable plastics are proof that the road to hades is paved with good intentions with the wiring harnesses of our vehicles, military equipment, first responder vehicles and equipment, and much more being extremely tasty to a variety of critters. Not to mention that it can biodegrade while still in use…

However, there are some plastics that are good for Long Term Storage (LTS) of food and other items. These are made with plastics designed not to degrade, not to leach anything, and remain useful for a number of years. These plastics are your friend in an emergency.

The most common one you will be need are food-grade plastic buckets. You can get them square or round, and in a variety of sizes. You even have options on the lid, and while there are pros and cons to each, I mostly go with a screw-on airtight lid (gamma seal may be a brand name) as it gives the most flexibility for the future. The biggest problem in my book is getting the rings on the bucket, which is helped by using a 2-lb weighted mallet. Do not give into temptation and use a sledge hammer. No matter how tempting it is.

While I’m still experimenting a bit, I tend to use 2.5 gallon buckets to hold multiple small bags of spices and such, or to hold non-bulky items. The size gives you a lot of flexibility on storage, and also make it easy to do multiple smaller packages of items so you can distribute them around for redundancy. Also, if they are not heavy, you can stack them on each other. For LTS, I tend to put heavy at 10 lbs or less of weight, preferably less. This reduces load and sheer stress on the containers.

I use 5 gallon buckets for bulk storage or for very bulky items. I’ve found that they are the perfect size for 25 lb bags of beans and other food items. They are also a good size for storing large amounts of toilet paper, feminine products, and other non-life-saving-but-you-really-want-to-have items.

I like the screw tops because they make getting stuff in and out easier. More to the point, you really should rotate or use some of your stocks over time to ensure a fresh supply. The airtight screw tops help preserve once you open the bags within and start using the beans, flour, or whatever is inside. Again, right now it’s just me so buying bulk gets me the best deal and the screw top helps me stretch out the shelf life.

Quick Note: DO NOT STACK 5 GALLON BUCKETS! They are bulky, they are heavy, and the load and sheer stresses placed on the bottom buckets can cause them to fail within just a couple of years. Loudly and messily. I know this because my landlord helpfully stacked some buckets I had in the garage, which had water in them. He then put yet more stuff on top of that. One of the bottom buckets let go, and a fun time was had by all. No, landlord still doesn’t know why I had them or what I do have, unless he is reading here now.

For LTS, what I am currently doing is three levels of containment. Maybe I spent too much time around NASA and others where three levels of redundancy was considered a good start. But, emergencies are not nice and they often can damage more than our calm. Hence, three layers. Bucket, mylar bucket liner, and special mylar bag designed for LTS of food. Above, the buckets with liners in them.

Now you see a bucket with the special 5 gallon food bag placed inside the mylar bucket liner.

Now, we get to something that can make some people scream. In the bottom, you see four oxygen absorbing packets. There are a number of writings on the right size for every circumstance, the best way to employ them, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera as the late Mr. Brynner used to declaim. Seriously, they are well worth reading and you can use the knowledge.

Me, well, the rule-of-thumb I go by is that you need at least a 300cc packet per gallon of space. I use that as my minimum and go from there. For example, I think the photo above may show 500cc packets as they came with some bags I ordered. I put four or five in the bottom of the 5 gallon bag, add my storage item, then drop four or five on the top before trying to get as much air out before engaging the zip seal on the bag. I then drop four or five more into the bucket liner before sealing it. I then drop four or five more into the bucket before screwing the lid shut. Since they often come in sealed packages of ten, if I find myself with one or two left out of the packet, I will drop them in rather than waste them.

Yes, it’s overkill but I don’t care. The packets are cheap, while my life and the lives of those I help in an emergency are not. If there is a leak in the main bag, there are two other levels to prevent problems. If the bucket springs a leak, there are two other levels to prevent problems. If you end up with larger packets and more packets than the optimum, well, in my book that’s okay. I consider the 300cc per gallon as a minimum and if the bags come with something larger, I cheerfully use them.

The only thing I don’t use the packets with are salt. With salt, I may use a silica gel packet for moisture control if it is humid the day I store it, but not an O2 packet. Also, don’t try to use silica packs and O2 packs together, as the silica needs O2 to work. Salt is generally good on it’s own.

I’m going to get into sealing the bags next week, as I am both trying something new here soon (I hope) and because it is important. You can get by without the bags and sealing, just using a bucket, but you really do want to use the bags and seal. No, you do not want to trust the zip seal, which I see as just one more layer in preventing air from getting into your food.

Before I wrap up for the day, one quick thought on non-food-grade buckets. In fact, the buckets you can get at the paint store (often much cheaper than can get them at the big box stores). They really aren’t that good for long-term storage but they do have uses so it is a good idea to keep a few around.

For example, if you know something is about to happen, you can fill them with water for use later. If you want to ensure potability, drop in one of those 5 gallon mylar bucket liners and you are good to go. Otherwise, you have the means to flush a commode or bathe at need.

Another good use for them is as an emergency toilet. Dean Ing has good instructions on this in his book Pulling Through. Short version: line bucket with three garbage bags; use cardboard to make a seat if you like; use for solid waste. Again, if a long-term disaster strikes I highly recommend using one of these to collect urine for purification/recycling. Back to topic: when half full, secure bag, secure the next bag to ensure no leaking, take to storage area, add new bags, and you are good to go. My memory/mind is mush these days, but seem to remember that at some point someone was actually making toilet seats for such buckets for camping or emergency use.

Finally, there are some plastic cases that are designed for security and long-term storage. Pelican is probably the best-known brand name, but it has competitors and Bill posted about one he’s tried in the comments to a previous post. Such cases are very good for things, particularly things we might want to protect for or in an emergency. The case you see in that first picture was my travel humidor. While I am giving away most of my smoking gear, did keep a few things just because.

Also, do check mil surplus for such cases. Somewhere I have a very good rifle case that was surplus, and such cases and others can be used for a variety of contents. While food and water are crucial in any emergency, long term emergencies or disasters require a lot more for you and yours to survive in some measure of comfort.

So, have as many options as you can for storage. The more you store and the more you can disperse items around to keep any one disaster from claiming all, the better. The more you can re-use your storage in preparation or in the disaster/emergency, the better. Just as glass can be re-used or even re-purposed, so to can your plastic (and metal) storage containers. Factor that into your planning and budget, as I don’t like single-use items. Most items should be able to pull double or triple duty in an emergency, or even more.

More on sealing soon. I may get into some nice-to-haves and other items for consideration tomorrow. And some cheap or free sources for food-grade buckets. We will see.

LTS: Metal Containers

Rather than press ahead as planned, recent weather has caused me to reconsider and move up my planned discussion of metal containers for Long Term Storage (LTS). No, not terrestrial weather, but space weather — specifically solar weather.

If you were fortunate enough last week to have a clear sky (we didn’t, alas), the aurora borealis was seen with the naked eye as far south as parts of Texas. Normally, such is only seen at the higher latitudes such as in norther Alaska and such. Thanks to some very energetic solar storms and coronal mass ejections, we have had quite the light show.

All well and good, but if you are not familiar with the Carrington Event you should read up on it and the potential for the Sun to do much worse. Let’s face it, the event allowed telegraph operators on both costs to disconnect their batteries and keep operations going for hours, which means a tremendous amount of energy was getting pumped into our Earthly system. It had some amazing effects then. Dumping that much or more on us now has the potential to be catastrophic.

Now, in terms of normal preparedness, metal cans meet a lot of needs. They are long lasting, resistant to a variety of harms, can be easy (if heavy) to carry, etc. There are commercial containers available, but I tend to be cheap so go for mil-surplus you can get for a good price (normally, but not as much recently).

I like the cans as they come in different sizes, the gaskets are usually good and will stay that way (resilient), and even if buried good for a decade or three. They can hold ammo, cigars, and a lot more. They are great for controlled environment storage. For cigars (before I effectively stopped recently) for example, I lined a can with Spanish cedar, loaded in my cigars with cedar sheets in between layers, threw in some Boveda packs (the single best way to get perfect humidity for storage of cigars, guitars, and much more), and checked on them every six months to a year. They are also the best option for semi-dangerous storage, things that are flammable or could otherwise do damage if stored improperly. Also, with padding, great for storing fragile items.

Metal is going to be the most protective material for any storage, much less long-term. It gives a range of options to you and can be modified at need. Drawbacks are weight (good cans are heavy, but you don’t want cheap and thin cans) and cost.

Now, given our recent solar weather, here’s another advantage to metal cans — they can be shielded. The can itself can provide some level of shielding, and my plan if there was advanced warning on a nuclear exchange was to put as many of my electronics and chargers in a metal can as possible. To make it even better, keep it in a basement, or better yet a shielded area in a basement and run a lead to a good ground, and you’ve got decent protection for those electronics. Key is, you want the items unplugged (longer the “tail” the greater the chance for EMP or anything else to burn out the electronics, and the tail doesn’t get much longer than the miles and miles of lines bringing you power to your home), shielded by other metal (grounded by preference, and underground and grounded if at all possible), and powered down.

For LTS of goods, metal is great. For LTS of foods, it is not necessarily as good. Some metals can and do leach like bad plastics. Some metals can oxidize in ways that can harm food. So, if you want to use metal cans for LTS of food, go in layers. Use mylar bucket liners (available in a variety of sizes) plus mylar food storage bags (just like you would for LTS of food in food-grade plastic containers), and you should be good. Just use good quality cans that are properly finished. Using Cousin Abdul’s homemade cans with his special “secret” finish is not the way to go. Go good mil-surplus or storage grade commercial, it is worth the money.

Oh, if you are going to go for LTS of musical instruments, wooden items, or items needing a bit of humidity, look at using both large mylar bags (sealed with Boveda or other inside) inside metal which also has a controlled environment. Two or more layers of protection, plus the metal will give maximum protection to the contents. You can go for certain grades of plastic case (think Pelican as one brand), but keep in mind price will be high, it may not be the same formulation as even a few years ago, and plastic will go brittle before metal.

For truly critical items, consider some form of normal case, inside plastic, inside metal. This works for artwork, instruments, and much more. Put the final case into storage in a geologically-stable area underground, and you are golden.

For home use, you can get a lot of protection via layering. Depends on what you are trying to protect, why, and for how long.

Just some quick food for thought this morning. The world is wonky. The Sun is being interesting (keep an eye on Space Weather Here). Be prepared. Remember, keep your family and real friends close, your preparations as complete as possible and as close to your vest as possible, and your things where you can find them in the dark.

Couple Of Quick Thoughts

Sorry for the lack of posting. Things continue to be amost-as-hectic as last week at Church as we celebrate Bright Week, and life has been a bit hectic as well. Good, but hectic.

First, this comment brings up a good discussion. Why not use plastic food jars and such? First, we will be getting into plastic containers here soon, rather into plastic containers that work for Long Term Storage (LTS). As for your usual plastic jars from foods and such, they can be quite useful but NOT for long-term storage.

A few quick points. First, the average plastic jar or container often contains interesting compounds that will leach out. That why even with food-safe plastic containers it is advisable to use mylar bags to isolate. Second, the use-life of your average plastic container is often limited. As the chemicals within leach, oxidize, etc., the plastic often turns quite brittle. They may be good for a year or two, but after that all bets are off. There are some that may last longer, but they are a rarity given that they are often more expensive to produce. Third, the porosity of you lower-grade plastics is higher. Keep in mind that even metal is not truly solid. There is a fair bit of space between molecules, and your denser plastics, glass, and metal do a fair job of keeping most things in or out. And I do mean most things: hydrogen is small and slippery and one of the things keeping us from a hydrogen economy is devising a reliable and safe means of storage. Zeolites were investigated for that, not sure where that research is these days. Your cheaper plastics are more porous, which is why good food-safe plastic containers, which are denser, cost more. Also, I focus more on glass than “typical” plastic containers for LTS both for lifespan and for the fact that the glass containers can be re-used for canning multiple times if you have sufficient lids tucked away. Again, we will be getting to food-safe plastic containers here soon.

Second, this comment points out a good option for sewing in the face of emergencies or disasters. I’m sure there are other brands similar, so take a look around. The more you can do for yourself, the better off you will be.

More soon.

Sewing Kits

Yesterday’s post sparked something that deserves it’s own post. Yes, I do recommend having a fair bit of sewing gear tucked away. Aside from fabric, it is fairly inexpensive and in an emergency you will find yourself facing two needs: minor repair and major repair/manufacturing.

First, here’s what I’m talking about when I say inexpensive. Individual packs of hand needles can be found for a couple of bucks, though certain specialty needles can get a bit more expensive. Safety pins and other pins are still at a semi-reasonable price. Thread has gone up since the last time I bought any, but again picking up a spool or two a month is not going to break the bank. What you see above is one kit for minor clothing emergencies, and the start to something more.

The kit on the left is a fairly complete and ready to go minor emergency kit. You have assorted hand needles, pins, safety pins, and a small pre-threaded repair kit. You can add more thread options, which is not a bad idea. Meantime, you have with this the ability to sew on buttons, make minor repairs, and otherwise repair your clothing. You don’t have to be Mr. Baggins running from Gollum and the Goblins to end up losing a button or three, or otherwise doing things that require some repair. Tucking a few of these around is a good investment. Heck, I used to have a slightly larger emergency kit like the one bottom center in each suitcase when I traveled on business. Used them a few times too — my buttons were on, even if not always as pretty as those done by the pros.

The kit on the right is a start to a larger kit. The small rolls of thread are on the bottom, the larger rolls above along with the various needles, pins, and such. My plan is to add more large rolls of thread, a cloth tape measure, some larger specialized needles, and some other basics to it. This will be good for major repairs and a start towards being able to make something at need.

Pro Tip: If your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/other sews and has good scissors, do not try to use them for anything else, much less add them to a kit. If you have used them to cut paper or anything else, a new pair and dinner is a good start towards making up for that. Find out what they are, where they were obtained, and buy some new to go into a kit. Get their advice on what to tuck away, possibly including some fabric for repairs and more.

One of the things that stuck with me after the first time I read Alas Babylon by Pat Frank was how breaking a needle almost sent some of the survivors into a meltdown. If you are dealing with an emergency or a disaster, you are probably not going to be able to run to the store or shop online. Needles (hand or machine) and other items we take for granted as being cheap and common may well become expensive and scarce. Also, if you have a sewing machine consider getting a Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for it, though it will likely need to be something on the order of what you would get for a sump pump or such. For that matter, having an antique foot-powered sewing machine could provide decoration as well as a functioning machine at need.

Now, I use jars for size and convenience. Pins, needles, and such are not great to put in mylar. For the larger kits you could use gallon or 2.5-gallon buckets, but that is up to you. Also, fabric would work well in mylar and a 5-gallon bucket. Be smart, be flexible, and tuck a few away at need.

Just wanted to sew this up while I could…

Wicks And Lighting

Yesterday’s post brought up questions, so some quick thoughts on wicks and the need for multiple lighting sources. Here we go.

While a lot of my emergency lighting (some of which doubles as my camping lighting) is electric, keep in mind that having multiple sources of lighting is a very good idea for emergencies and disasters. Short version is that even with rechargeable batteries and multiple ways to recharge them (solar, hand crank, etc.) batteries only last so long. There may be times when using electricity is not an option or not a good idea. That’s when having other options is a very good idea.

I use a small oil lamp for religious purposes, and am set to create more at need as sources of light. Regular olive oil or plain vegetable oil work very well in such cases, and you can even use oil that is out of date for lighting when you can’t (or shouldn’t at least) use it for food. As I noted a while back, you can often get expired oil from restaurants or other food service operations for cheap or for free. So long as it is not rancid (smell), you are good.

Oil lamps and such that use liquid paraffin are a good option as well. Again, gives you a different source of fuel, different light, and an additional option to go with electric, lanterns, and candles. Anything open flame is a safety issue, which is why enclosed lamps, lanterns, or using candle lanterns (discussed previously) is a very good idea.

So, to repeat: I plan on flashlights and electric lanterns as my primary at need; name-brand and old fashioned lanterns are a good secondary option; oil and liquid paraffin lamps and candles are another; and, real candles do come in handy. Also decorative and/or scented. No reason things can’t do more than one thing, and most really should…

As to wicks, I have a mix of braided and “adjust-a-size” wicks around. I like to keep some lamp wicks handy (top of photo) and you can get packs with different sizes of them very inexpensively. The ones I use the most are braided wicks in 3mm and 4mm diameter (left in photo). Versatile and you can make lamps or candles out of them quickly at need. The non-braided wicks (right in photo) can be adjusted to whatever size you need. I’m not as fond of them as the other, and find them not to be quite as useful or long-lasting. That said, they come in handy for use in a variety of wick holders of different sizes and they do give you some options. It’s all about having as many options as possible…

So, just a few quick thoughts (and hopefully some answers) before I head out for the day. More to come.

Jar LTS Thought

One thing I think I forgot to mention in the post looking at glass containers is that they can be very useful for storing things that mylar is not going to like. For example, pointy bits of metal that are oddly shaped. In the example above (click to embiggen) are some items for making emergency oil lamps.

These come from a religious book and supply store, and give you options for how to do your lamps. The drawback is that they are oddly shaped, part may be pointy, and otherwise are unsuitable for bag storage since they also need to be protected from crushing. Jelly jar is a perfect home for them and a variety of braided and non-braided wicks. You may notice that I have wicks already threaded through the holders, as if I’m dealing with an emergency the last thing I want to do is to have to spend time threading wicks into place. This way, I have them set to go.

Now, there are good arguments for using oxygen absorbers, but for this jar I opted to go with a vacuum seal. The portable unit I reviewed a while back was sufficient for this task.

With a bit of padding, the jar can go in a bucket or other larger container where it can be protected. Or, it can be stuck in the back of a closet, back of an out-of-the-way shelf, etc. Never a bad idea to have several of these around in different locations so that at least one, if not all, survive for use when and if needed. Same holds true for other supplies as well and one thing I want to do is set-up a sewing jar with a variety of hand sewing needles and other supplies that, again, might not be best to store in mylar or such.

Just a quick thought to share this morning. While I hope to get some more short posts up this week, things are busy down at the Church and my focus is there. Given all, really glad I’m not cooking on top of all else that is going on. Working to be sure my (limited) focus is on what is truly important.

More soon!