Survival tips & tricks

[TinCan]

While there is a lot of concern about the path that our nation may be taking, it is also time to start getting ready for Hurricane Season that starts on June 1st so how about we dedicate a thread to provide links to good sites that provide info/checklists for different types of natural & other disasters and also share any tips or tricks you have on conserving foodstuffs, stretching water, etc. And because it really does appear that we may be heading towards a long cooling period vs global warming, tips/tricks for combating that would also be welcomed. :)

[MrShotShot]

Don't waste your ammo shooting them in the body - you have to shoot zombies in the head to kill them.

[birddog1]

http://www.alpharubicon.com/index2.html

Just sort through and take what you need as there is something for almost every scenario imaginable on there. Everything from just being self sufficient to making a NBC filter out of an old ammo can, furnace blower, and HEPA filter.

[birddog1]

Based on the news during our recent ice storm one of the most important things people need to learn is that you shouldn't run a generator in your basement, garage, or right next to your door and expect to live. Also don't try to heat or cook with charcoal in your home.

[MrShotShot]

Based on the news during our recent ice storm one of the most important things people need to learn is that you shouldn't run a generator in your basement, garage, or right next to your door and expect to live. Also don't try to heat or cook with charcoal in your home.

I'm with you on that. Also, if you lose power on a 95+ degree day, open a window or go outside and sit under at tree.

[birddog1]

I'm with you on that. Also, if you lose power on a 95+ degree day, open a window or go outside and sit under at tree.

On second thought maybe we should keep that to ourselves and let natural selection take it's course.

[birddog1]

As far as basic wilderness survival goes here is a pretty good place to start.

http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/wilderness-way-primitive-skills-magazine/

[RickRhetoric]

When a hurricane approaches, don't panic and flee too soon leaving all your stuff behind and unprotected. Looters usually cause more property damage than the hurricanes.

[bella-day]

I'm with you on that. Also, if you lose power on a 95+ degree day, open a window or go outside and sit under at tree.



That is a rough one. Your suggestion is fine during the day but then comes the night and along with it a real need to rest.

It's a good idea to invest in a very good generator...have plenty of fuel on hand...and also invest in a good window unit air conditioner. That way you do have the ability to escape the heat for a few hours and the generator comes in real handy for helping to keep perishable food cold.

The biggest obstacle we faced after Katrina was safe drinking water. Can't do without it. It is a necessity.

We keep 6 gallons of frozen water in the freezer at all times. Sure, it takes up space but it serves a dual purpose.

Purpose number 1 is to help keep the inside of the freeze cold when you lose power and of course purpose number 2 is to supply much needed safe drinking water after it thaws.

We also keep another 9-12 gallons of water on hand besides what is in the freezer. We rotate the water out on a regular basis by using the oldest we have in stock and buying more to replenish the stock.

As hurricane season approaches, we add to that stock. Typically during storm season we try to keep 20-25 gallons on hand at any given time.

[MrShotShot]

That is a rough one. Your suggestion is fine during the day but then comes the night and along with it a real need to rest.



I don't know about you, but I can sleep perfectly fine under a tree - a hammock and perhaps a little mosquito netting helps, but I can do without that and be perfectly comfortable.

My reference really wasn't about hurricanes, it was more for those situations in big cites when the power goes out in the summer and we hear of dozens and in some cases hundreds of people dying b/c they just sat in their apartments with the windows closed.

[birddog1]

That is a rough one. Your suggestion is fine during the day but then comes the night and along with it a real need to rest.

It's a good idea to invest in a very good generator...have plenty of fuel on hand...and also invest in a good window unit air conditioner. That way you do have the ability to escape the heat for a few hours and the generator comes in real handy for helping to keep perishable food cold.

The biggest obstacle we faced after Katrina was safe drinking water. Can't do without it. It is a necessity.

We keep 6 gallons of frozen water in the freezer at all times. Sure, it takes up space but it serves a dual purpose.

Purpose number 1 is to help keep the inside of the freeze cold when you lose power and of course purpose number 2 is to supply much needed safe drinking water after it thaws.

We also keep another 9-12 gallons of water on hand besides what is in the freezer. We rotate the water out on a regular basis by using the oldest we have in stock and buying more to replenish the stock.

As hurricane season approaches, we add to that stock. Typically during storm season we try to keep 20-25 gallons on hand at any given time.

People should also invest in a good sturdy cable and padlock to secure their generator. During the ice storm people were stealing them left and right. There was one story on the news during the ice storm where a guy was using his generator to run his heating system before he went to bed. He went to run something else and found out he didn't have any electricity coming from the generator. He went outside to figure out what was wrong and found his lawn mower running and his generator gone.

Fuel stabilizer is also very important if a person is going to keep gasoline or diesel on hand for very long.

Before the ice storm I usually kept 15 gallons of gas on hand in case something happened. After having a very hard time finding a station with both gas and electricity to pump it with during the ice storm I decided to keep more on hand in the winter. I will now probably keep 15-20 gallons on hand all the time and get another 15-20 gallons when I hear bad weather is approaching.

[bella-day]

People should also invest in a good sturdy cable and padlock to secure their generator. During the ice storm people were stealing them left and right. There was one story on the news during the ice storm where a guy was using his generator to run his heating system before he went to bed. He went to run something else and found out he didn't have any electricity coming from the generator. He went outside to figure out what was wrong and found his lawn mower running and his generator gone.

Fuel stabilizer is also very important if a person is going to keep gasoline or diesel on hand for very long.

Before the ice storm I usually kept 15 gallons of gas on hand in case something happened. After having a very hard time finding a station with both gas and electricity to pump it with during the ice storm I decided to keep more on hand in the winter. I will now probably keep 15-20 gallons on hand all the time and get another 15-20 gallons when I hear bad weather is approaching.

We do the same thing regarding fuel. The generator we ran post Katrina would burn 10 gallons every 24 hours if the generator ran continuously.

And yeah looting is a huge concern. Although...it wasn't a huge problem in our neighborhood...thanks to the cooperative efforts of the people who lived there.

My husband's middle son was in Hawaii when Katrina struck. He hopped the first jet he could catch to get back here as soon as possible. As luck would have it the closest airport he could fly into was in B'ham, AL.

He got a friend of his to loan him truck and then set about buying up supplies he knew we would need desperately. One of the things he purchased was a 55 gallon barrel of gasoline.

Never were we so happy to see something and so worried about having it all at the same time. One thing Billy did that was really bright is he had the gas pumped into a potable water barrel as opposed to a fuel barrel.

Gas was a rare commodity at that point. The semi trucks that brought the gas in were coming in with fully armed escorts at that point.

The generator we have is big enough to power our home and a few appliances in our neighbors home as well.

Our little neighborhood pulled together like nobody's business after the storm. The neighborhood was well guarded thanks to the men working in rotating shifts to see that everyone was safe and sound....and looter free.

That's another survival tip. Safety and strength comes with numbers. Everyone has talent and knowledge that contributes to the safety and survival of the group.

TinCan's family and mine banded together during and after Katrina. Had it not been for us working together along with our neighbors we would have all had a much more difficult time.

[bella-day]

I don't know about you, but I can sleep perfectly fine under a tree - a hammock and perhaps a little mosquito netting helps, but I can do without that and be perfectly comfortable.

My reference really wasn't about hurricanes, it was more for those situations in big cites when the power goes out in the summer and we hear of dozens and in some cases hundreds of people dying b/c they just sat in their apartments with the windows closed.

I wasn't talking about hurricanes specifically...but extended power outages in particular. It just happens my personal experience with extended (extended to me is not days but weeks instead) power outages results from hurricanes.

With the kind of heat we have in our area, sleeping under a tree would give little relief from the heat.

When you are talking about prolonged power outages; a good generator can be a life saver...literally.

[Ballygrl]

Definitely a generator. We lost power for a day about a month ago so we borrowed my FIL's generator and it's definitely on my must buy list.

Also a battery operated radio and spare batteries.

[TinCan]

Definitely a generator. We lost power for a day about a month ago so we borrowed my FIL's generator and it's definitely on my must buy list.

Also a battery operated radio and spare batteries.

Well, I would make sure that the radio also has a hand crank and is capable of charging cell phones. Also, get a couple of the "shake n bake" flashlights.

Another thing about the generators is to get an extra set of air filters and an extra oil filter and oil and spark plug. Don't forget a wrench for the spark plug, a good combo screw driver and a set of pliers. And make sure you have some good heavy duty and long extension cords and do not chance overloading it.

[TinCan]

If you live in an area prone to potentially high flood waters, I would put together an attic kit consisting of a good, sharp hand axe/hatchet, a hammer or mallet, a 2-3 ft prybar, a coil of rope, and maybe even some sort of flotation items.

[birddog1]

Well, I would make sure that the radio also has a hand crank and is capable of charging cell phones. Also, get a couple of the "shake n bake" flashlights.

Another thing about the generators is to get an extra set of air filters and an extra oil filter and oil and spark plug. Don't forget a wrench for the spark plug, a good combo screw driver and a set of pliers. And make sure you have some good heavy duty and long extension cords and do not chance overloading it.

A person should also get their generator out several times a year and let it run for a few minutes and make sure everything is still in good working order. My dad learned that lesson when we tried to run his generator the first day of the ice storm and it wouldn't run long enough to do any good. Luckily he had a friend a few miles away that still had power and he loaned him his genny.

[birddog1]

Depending upon where you live I would have at the minimum these items.

2 weeks of food (mix of canned, dehydrated, rice, whole grains, etc.)
2 days worth of MREs
2 weeks worth of drinking water
Firearm and extra ammo
Sharp knife
Toilet paper
Trash bags
Paper plates
Plastic utensils
A few buckets
A back up cooking method
Back up heating source (cold climate)
Well stocked, up to date First Aid kit appropriate for your level of first aid training
Numerous flash lights, lanterns, spot lights and correct, charged batteries.
Spare clothing stored with emergency kit
Plastic sheeting
Duct tape
Work gloves
Small tool set including hammer, wrenches, socket set, channel lock pliers, wire cutters, crow bar, saw, sledge hammer, assortment of nails, etc.
Decent sized tarp
Working fire extinguishers
Emergency radio
Sleeping bags or blankets
Extra gas (either for a generator or for a vehicle if you need to evacuate)

If a person has enough money and space to keep it a generator and heavy duty cords are also nice to have.

If you have pets keep extra food and water for them, also keep a carrier or collar and leash handy as well.

[MrShotShot]

I saw something advertised on Savage's site called "survival bucket" or something like that - essentially a 5 gallon bucket packed with a couple hundred dehydrated/MRE type meals.

Seemed like an interesting solution.

[TinCan]

I saw something advertised on Savage's site called "survival bucket" or something like that - essentially a 5 gallon bucket packed with a couple hundred dehydrated/MRE type meals.

Seemed like an interesting solution.

The main problem with MREs and dehydrated foodstuffs is they take water and sometimes you can go days or weeks before you get access to "extra" potable water.