Preparedness Pays: Proof Edition

This morning provided a chance to test some of my preparedness plans when the power went out in the middle of cooking breakfast. What could have been a disaster to my schedule instead turned into a minor annoyance.

First, I used my Streamlight tac light I carry in my pocket to go downstairs and get two camp lanterns, my portable chef’s stove, and a hook. Once back upstairs, I put the LE camp lantern up on an existing planter hook in the kitchen ceiling and used the hook I brought up to put up the Vont camp lantern up on a cabinet door on the opposite side of the kitchen. Then, I broke out the chef’s stove and finished cooking breakfast.

camp lanterns
Camp lanterns

The LE camp lantern is heavier than I would like for true backpacking, but provided an amazing amount of light on it’s regular setting. I could have set it higher, but really didn’t need to. The Vont was okay, but not nearly as bright though it would be my choice for backpacking. The Vont actually comes in a pack of four, which means I could have put one up in my room, the bathroom, and the common area of the basement and had plenty of light to get around.

The one thing I need to do is to get some brass cup hooks and put them up in those rooms so that I am ready to hang them if needed again. Plan to see if the landlord will mind if I put one up in the kitchen as well. Also, may look into trying to put some sort of diffuser on the Vont. May also try to sell the landlord into a UPS for the hot water heater, as while it is gas it is dependent on electricity for lighting.

I wish the LE wasn’t made in China, as I would consider buying more given how well it worked today.

Short version. Plans need to be tweaked (hooks in place), but the two-plus hour outage was simply an inconvenience instead of a morning wrecker. It ended up costing me about 15 minutes out of my schedule, which beats the heck out of a two-plus hour impact. Preparedness always pays.

Preparedness Pays: Food Ennui

Day life and job have been interesting, so am running behind. This is actually something I had planned to address later, but for a number of reasons I wanted to touch on it now.

When planning food and drink supplies, keep in mind that even within a week you or your family can fall victim to food ennui. That is, you have food but not anything you want to eat. That is particularly true if you have only a limited range of food tucked away.

An easy and usually inexpensive way to fight it is to visit your local ethnic or interntational grocery stores. By picking up canned vegetables, dishes, etc. you can get a range of flavors and increase your options. Along with sauces and hot sauces, you have the means to take regular food and take it very different directions. You also tend to find very good prices on those items.

Just a quick thought to share this morning.

Preparedness Pays: The Quiet Team

One good thing about making practical preparedness a part of your lifestyle is that you are prepared for quite a few of life’s routine emergencies. But, one thing you need to consider is the fact that you should not advertise it, but accepting that preparedness and survival for larger emergencies requires a certain degree of teamwork.

How much and what you are prepared for is something you should keep close to the vest. First, in a major emergency, those who are not prepared will see you as a target for getting quickly what they hadn’t bothered with before. They will demand you share with them, take them in, etc. Second, there are those who will not make demands and expect you to take care of them, as they are simply going to try to take by force what you have. Third, in a major emergency you are likely to have your reserves appropriated for the good of the people by various levels of government. It has happened before and will happen again. If they don’t know what you have and how much you have, it works to your advantage all around.

That said, surviving major emergencies requires teamwork. The simple fact is that groups do better as each brings strengths (and a variety of supplies/preparations) to the table. They can and should also provide safe places for bug-out at need. Sound people out, and choose wisely. Expect them to be judging you as well.

Years back, a friend was looking at just this situation. Through a mutual friend, he learned of a group that was into preparedness and looked into joining. He was quickly informed that he did not have enough weapons or the proper type of ammunition. In looking over their requirments and preparations, it was clear they were light on what I would call fundamentals. He thought a moment, and then informed them that no, he didn’t have all the ammo they required, but that he did have in addition to food a year’s worth (more actually) of toilet paper and they were going to have a hard time wiping their asses with all those bullets. And, by the way, he had more than enough ammo on hand to deal with anyone who tried to take it. They thought that over for a few days, contacted him to say that he had a point, and asked him to join them. He declined.

So, keep quiet but keep an eye out for good people to team up with at need. Make sure that they can be a safe haven if you have to bug out because of anything from a chemical spill to those pythonoids from Antares (who are just as big an group of assholes as the CCP) doing something nasty. Keep in mind that your location can be used if they need to bug out. Groups improve chances, but choosing the right group (or creating it) is essential.

Preparedness Pays: Pets

Today’s post will be short and sweet, and is courtesy of a reminder from a friend. When conducting your thought experiment, be sure to include your pets in your planning. Not only food and water, plus a means to take them with you if you have to bug out, but also common medical conditions. If they take medicines or supplements, you need to include those items in your needed supplies. If you know they have other conditions ‘every now and then’ be sure to include supplies for that in your planning.

We’re almost done with the thought experiment(s), but one more to come courtesy of those darned pythonoids from Antares….

Preparedness Pays: Fixing Up Your Home

While I can already hear some ranting about bugout/bailout bags and such, the idea is not to overwhelm someone new. Those that get overwhelmed find it easy to not get prepared, even when such preparations can increase the value of their home and otherwise save them money. Again, each situation is unique and you need to plan for what works for you. Even if you rent and apartment or something else, you can take steps that will help you be prepared and far more comfortable in day-to-day life. While this is focused on someone in a stand-alone home, there are aspects that can be applied elsewhere.

Your home is your castle and your keep, even if it’s not in the middle of the street. It is the place you live, and the place you are most likely to stay in the event of an emergency. What are some of the things you can do, and may already want to do, to improve it so that you enjoy benefits even while preparing?

Let’s start with weather preparedness. Is it weather tight? No matter where you live, insulation is a good thing for keeping out the heat or cold. Caulking, door seals, and other items can reduce energy bills. In an emergency, it can help keep out smoke, pathogens, or even radiation in the worst case. The nice thing is, depending on where you live, there may be grants, tax credits, or even programs to help you take these steps.

Security is also a factor. Are your outer doors insulated and security rated? Again, the grants and other programs may can help with that, as well as taking other steps to make sure it is secure. Double- and triple-pane windows not only add to energy savings, but can also be a security feature. What other steps can you take?

How energy efficient is it? If you HVAC system is old, or even older, a newer system can provide savings. Again, there may be programs to help with such an upgrade, along with tax credits and such. This applies to all major appliances too — the more energy efficient the better. A minor thing you can do is buy outlet insulation systems that help stop drafts that come in that way. At an apartment I rented years back, putting them in actually provided a measurable drop in my electric bill. It also reduced what could come in from outside, from pollen to insects and other delights. Going all LED on lighting saves money, and can make it easier to maintain light and critical appliances via a generator or other power source if needed.

Landscaping can help improve security by eliminating places people can hide, gain entry without being seen, or even approach without being seen. In an area where flooding could be an issue? Berms and walls can help reduce the threat. A non-flammable patio can not only increase the value of the house, but it provides a secure place to put a grill or other outdoor cooking items that can be used in an emergency.

Take a few minutes to think about what you can do to your home to improve it, and at the same time make it better prepared to be your castle and keep in an emergency. Then, look to see what grants, programs, tax credits, etc. may be available to help with that effort. You might be surprised, and all you do will add to the value of the property. If you don’t own but rent, do the legwork to find these opportunities, and it is rare that a landlord won’t jump at the chance to improve their property with little- to no-cost to them.

Be creative, and look outside the box for solutions that work for you.