Active New Top (30 days) Compact Card Safely dealing with urban sewage during a disaster GMTII - September 14, 2021 Hello. I’m new to the site and recently found an acute need to upgrade my preparedness. I moved to a flood prone urban area with an inadequate sewer/water system. Flood waters are a combo of actual rain, raw sewage backed up from the sewer system, and the various chemicals and oils from flooded cars. In a worst case scenario I would be walking through 12 in + of this stuff to get to safety. I also need a way to purify the municipal tap water for drinking. These events damage the water system and boil water warnings can last many days and are issued too late. I think it’s best to assume tap water is contaminated with whatever is in the flood waters as soon as the weather hits. I have several days water in the recommended containers but that’s too heavy if we have to evac on foot. What do you think on best PPE for wading through it? I currently have waterproof boots on order but will need something more substantial. How about purifying the water if we have to leave home? I have a MSR Guardian Gravity purifier but it isn’t rated for chemicals. Maybe adding P&G Purifier of Water solution as an initial step? At home I would also use a ZeroWater which has a good profile for removing various heavy metals/chemicals. Thanks a lot. I look forward to being part of this helpful community. Read More 7 6 How Japan is beginning to rediscover self reliance Bill Masen - September 14, 2021 An Interesting short show on how Covid appears to have become the tipping point for many urban professionals who are now looking more into leaving the city and becoming self reliant in the Japanese countryside, the countryside in itself has beeen becoming ever more depopulated through urban migration since the end of WW2. I see the beginning of similar changing perceptions occuring in Europe and America. Read More 6 3 My, how times and attitudes have changed. Bill Masen - September 14, 2021 Soooooo I just read this insightful article from the TP blog. https://theprepared.com/blog/new-statistics-on-modern-prepper-demographics-from-fema-and-cornell-university/ And it got me thinking about how WESTERN values, judgements and opinions have changed since 1990. Back then at the collapse of the Cold war and Soviet Union we holier than thou westerners looked down our collective noses at how the proletariat of the eastern block lived. “Har Har Har look at those agricultural Lada cars, they have no fuel injection, no ICE or onboard computers, their suspension systems travel 8 inches to cope with the dreaful roads, isnt it funny watching them being repaired in a barn with a hammer and chisel.” or ” My god look how these peasants live compared to us sophisticated westerners with our modern apartments, electronically managed homes, electrically heated homes, air con in everything with our 24/7s, Deli’s, Coffee bars etc on every corner. “ “Just look at the eastern Europeans with their log piles, wood burning stoves, vegetable gardens,fish ponds, smoke houses, pigs, goats, chickens and cattle. They are having to grow and preserve their own food, they are generating their own power, digging bore holes and wells and having to rely on wind pumps to bring the water up. Just look how primative they are with no doctors in the community, everyone has to have self reliance skills because they cannot rely on the state or the system.” My how we laughed and mocked those easterners who were NOT reliant on just in time deliveries, supermarkets, cops on speed dial, home with only occasional mains utilities. “Hah, we have perfectly manicured lawns instead of Veg gardens, We have Poodles, Pekinese and electrically heated and filtered pools whilst they keep chickens, rabbits and pigs. We have boundless supplies of fresh water from the Rockies to water the Napa valley and to keep the golf courses in vegas lush and green”. We tamed our wilderness and turned our forests into parks whilst those ignorant peasants woodlands are used to get firewood, make charcoal, still full of Deer, Wild Board, Turkeys, Grouse, Pheasant, Bears, etc. Heck they dont even have power distribution pylons and masts supplying power 24/7/365 they way we have, They have to be ready to weather frequent power cuts. they are so backward in places they have to make their own diesel and alcohol to power their primative cars. They are so primative and backwards they have learned NEVER to rely on the State, Government or System to keep them fed, watered, illuminated, cool, warm, healthy, clean and mobile… Is that a worm I see turning? 🙂 Read More 12 11 Ideas on carrying ID in your bug out bag Jonnie PekelnyContributor - September 14, 2021 I pack and expired US passport in my BOB and also have my driver’s license in my wallet, which I carry in my pocket. I’ve been thinking though that ID is so important, I should add it to my flash drive, which I also carry in my BOB. On the other hand, I don’t want my identity to be stolen. What do you do for ID in your bug out prepping? Read More 9 9 Flu season almost upon us JennyWren - September 14, 2021 Well folks, it’s that time of year again. Got a letter from my doctor to book a flu vaccine. It’s free for me this time as I now am in the at risk age group (according to the govt) so I went online and have it booked for beginning of October. I was offered an earlier appointment, but wanted to give my body’s immune system chance to calm down after the ravages of Covid before I give it another dose of info to read. I’m also considering paying for the Pneumonia vaccine. Anyone else had the call yet? Read More 5 3 Video, Bugging out of coastal cities by boat. Bill Masen - September 14, 2021 An interesting take on Urban prepping in which being able to safely flee a city in a disaster is portrayed as being ” Insurance” ( for the wealthy) rather than prepping. I suppose it does open up some options and alternatives for the community at large to consider, especially as so many users of TP are urban preppers? Second part looks at those converting old silos into redoubts, a tad OTT for me. Read More 6 2 Small solar set up for short term emergencies JennyWren - September 13, 2021 For some years I have had a couple of small solar powered set ups. One is a 12V system, the other 5V. The 12V consists a 25W 12V solar panel, 20W 12VSealed Gel Battery A 200W inverter. It’s a basic set up that provides sufficient power to illuminate the shed where it resides and I can also use it to charge my laptop, travel kettle and a few other small items. The 5V system is more portable and I use it when I go camping. This consists 28W 5v folding solar panel, 2, 20,000mAh power banks an assortment of usb friendly leads to charge any number of usb items, including phone, tablet, I run lights and a fan off the power banks. The power banks are really handy for camping and one lasts me a week. Neither were particularly expensive to buy and both have proven handy. Thinking about the temperature sensitive medication, you could run a small electric cooler or one of those mini fridges from the 12V version. Any question s, ask away and I’ll do my best to answer them. 🙂 Read More 6 8 Gear Realities of living underground Carter Murphy - September 13, 2021 A lot of preppers fantasize about underground shelters, whether as an emergency-only bunker or a daily home that is both safe and more eco friendly. But it seems that, like most things, fantasy is different from reality. Found this interesting post where a family moved into their dream underground home, but turned out not to like it. Here’s their reasons why: Read More 14 7 Scenarios Dutch oven cooking Barb LeeContributor - September 12, 2021 I’m not an expert with a Dutch oven (camp oven) but I’ve got a good command of the basics. I’ve recently revived my “hobby” of cooking in a Dutch as I prepare one-pot meal “kits” from dehydrated and canned foods. Last night I took it all to the outdoors, and what a success! There doesn’t seem to be a lot of discussion on the use of a Dutch oven here on TP, at least a search didn’t reveal much. I can’t think of a better cooking option during a power outage (as long as you can source fuel – we stockpile charcoal, but would have a supply of hardwood as well). You can cook almost anything in a Dutch – roast, bake, simmer, fry on the upturned lid. And you can use it in almost any weather, as long as you can keep it dry and sheltered from wind. The fuel required depends on the size oven one is cooking in, and how long a cooking time. Last night I used a 10″ oven to cook a four-serving casserole, the fuel consumption was 20 briquettes, and with the “kit” (1 pint jar hamburger, and packets of dehydrated veggies, spices and topping), the cooking length was two refreshing beverages. Meal preparation time was almost nil, which doesn’t include the time spent in the separate operations of preserving and assembling the ingredients. My long term goal is to hone my baking skills, maybe try stacking the ovens (did that only once) and continuing to find and “kit up” meals that are quick to prepare and require minimal fuel. (And taste great!!) So, any other Dutch oven aficionados out there? Is there a place in your preps for this remarkable tool? Read More 9 17 Staying Prepped – How to stay the course and avoid burnout UbiqueContributor - September 12, 2021 I wondered today how many people started prepping in the last year and how many will stay prepped after the pandemic is over. During a crisis, people discover their vulnerability. Empty supermarket shelves, and later on, an empty refrigerator and cupboards drive home just how vulnerable they really are. During Covid-19, people searched and searched for items they needed, only to find back orders and not in stock or worse, limits on what they purchase. This meant they had to go back again and again during a pandemic and risk contracting a deadly virus every time they went out. It also meant they could bring that virus home and infect their family members. It happened during the Avian influenza pandemic. It will happen every time there is a disaster. What I wonder is why don’t people just stay prepped once they discover their vulnerability? They have some preps in place. Why stop? Do people just lose interest in the absence of a crisis or disaster? Did prepping get to be too much for them and they began to feel overwhelmed? Are they “burned out” from the stress of planning and prepping? Is it a matter of money that stops people from continuing to prep? Could it be peer pressure from family or friends who “tolerated” their prepping during the crisis? Do people believe lightening never strikes twice? Maybe it happens because they can resume their old lives. I admit some days I feel like my head is going to explode when I’m trying to decide on something or figure out prepping plans. But you know, the days when I solve a problem or learn a new skill or knowledge are my best days of all. I can look at my preps or plans and think, yeah, it may be tough some days, but it is so worth it. How do you stay prepped and avoid burn out? Do you know of other people who prepped and stopped? Read More 13 59 Advice Prepping for disabled mobility Bill Masen - September 11, 2021 Couple of times over the years I’ve worked with assorted folks with various disabilities, and call me crazy but I like to sniff around to try and find gear or stuff that will improve their lot AND / OR more importantly improve their MOBILITY. I keep finding interesting designs for gear and snippets that could prove useful. Here is a tiny fraction FYI From ABLE magazine a selection of alll terrain wheel chair vehicles. https://ablemagazine.co.uk/terrain-wheelchairs-wild-things/ I really like the TREKINETIC Home – Trekinetic – Mk3 Draft I have even seen a few on the moors here in the UK miles from anywhere and on the most dreadful of tracks, some folks wont let anything stop them. A couple of them carried their own camping gear with them, truly impressive. Read More 6 14 Americans today Sept 11 2021 Bill Masen - September 11, 2021 OT Just thinking about you lot across the pond today. Read More 5 5 Emergency evacuations and their funding Bob - September 11, 2021 https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2021/09/09/630758.htm Good evening, Frequently many private citizens do not evacuate to safety after a weather emergency because of the large costs. My agreement on these big costs are 100%. The above linked article tells of Louisiana initiating a program via their insurance regulations to help fund evac costs. “Insurance” is a specific category of risk management. From the non-risk management perspective this Louisiana program could be called a “test case”. As sad as the Louisiana adverse weather situations are, it is like this in most other places – and I know the meaning of “most”. The article is well worth glancing at. Read More 5 1 Preprogramming ham radios with emergencies in mind Jonnie PekelnyContributor - September 11, 2021 I have two HT radios — the sum total of my radio equipment. One of these is in my BOB and the other in my house, principally for in-home use. I would like to preprogram these radios as much as possible in advance, so that in case of emergency or evacuation I don’t have to fiddle with programming them manually — particularly if I’m out of the area and am not familiar with the local stations. As a baby ham without many connections in the community, I don’t have default stations, repeaters or organizations that I would be a part of in an emergency. I have a very minimal connection to my local ARES group — I’ve participated in some of their weekly checkins and I know the closest accessible repeater in my area, run by the local ham radio club, of which I’m not a member. That’s about it. I was thinking to lookup and program a bunch of repeaters in the surrounding larger area, maybe as far as an hour’s drive away, so that a repeater may be reachable even if I’m out of my immediate area. But I’m not sure if it’s worth the effort since I hear that many registered repeaters are inactive for all intents and purposes. Is there something better I can do? Read More 6 14 AdviceScenarios “Return to Normal” What are your signals/Indicators/metrics? Rich DCContributor - September 10, 2021 Similar to how often it is suggested you have a plan/criteria for when to bug out or bunker in… What are your plans and the signals/indicators you’re looking at for a “return to normal” from this past year? My own personal thoughts: I’ve been vaccinated, but I’m also cautious but nature. And a huge introvert… so not hurting to go out and party like its 2019, exactly. I’m looking for sustained downward trends in both covid cases and deaths, and I’m looking at local/regional as well as state and national levels. My region seems to be doing pretty well, seem to be declining to pre-first-wave numbers if the trend hold for a couple more days. State and national numbers aren’t as great (seem to be at levels from last summer). The majority of the news I read seems to indicate that the vaccines are fairly effective even with many/most of the variants, keeping my fingers crossed there but paying close attention. That being said, my cautious nature and general civility towards the mask mandates of my local businesses keep me from acting like this is all over. I’ve gone back to the gym, but with mask left on at all times and on off peak hours. Haven’t eaten out yet, but when I do it will probably only be outside for a while. But I might, and this sounds crazy, hang out unmasked with small groups of friends who have also been vaccinated and are at least moderately responsible. Probably not at bars/clubs though, more likely outside or private residences. So just curious, what are your metrics/methods? Not proposing/wanting to presume anyone to be less safe than they are comfortable with, just curious what your risk threshold is these days. Read More 18 41 One of the best articles I have read about home schooling Bill Masen - September 10, 2021 Over the 40 odd years I’ve been into prepping/ off gridding/survivalism I have noticed a slow but steady increase in the number of people making great personal sacrifice to home school or local group home school their children. And like the article below I remember it being mainly hippies and anti establishment types doing it in the beginning. But that has changed both in the US and abroad. More and more enlightened and concerned parents are now withdrawing their kids from the highly politicised state education systems. And by pure coincidence I found a home schooling group in a large new garden village only 3 miles from my place. This garden village is full of huge homes and many VERY successful professionals ( its even got its own golf course and spa) Yet these accountants, senior management, lawyers, MDs etc are openly hostile to both STATE and PRIVATE school offerings in this area. Hence multiple families now cooperate with home schooling, even hiring teachers when necessary to teach the kids subjects the parents dont have the skills to do. Personally I believe through my own personal experiences that home school kids get a broader far reaching education and it creates more questioning minds than state offering do. I also see the political indoctrination of our children by certain interested parties as a clear threat to our childrens developments. https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/american-homeschooling-goes-boom Read More 11 6 Food prep inventory tracking MrsG - September 9, 2021 This is similar to brekke’s question about spreadsheets or lists. How do you all keep track of your food preps? Any great system or set up to recommend? I had a go at making a tracking system on google sheets but it seems unwieldy. I’d like to make sure I have enough, of things we eat, and that I rotate them well (the cooking and menu planning is a real strong point for me–the technology aspect not so much). Read More 14 18 Back up power system/power station for a farm Bongohead - September 9, 2021 Hola from The Republic of Panama! Friends, I approach you with humility in my heart and openness in my mind: my family has a beautiful (IMHO) 20 acre farm in the mountains of Panama and while it does have the foundations of a self-sustaining property (plenty of grazing land, fruit trees, vegetable fields, multiple clean water wells, etc) I feel the one thing that constantly eludes us is an efficient power system that could help us keep the juice flowing during a lights out SHTF. Our KWh a month ranges from 180 to 196. We have about two acres free for use in such a project…but what CAN we do? We tried solar panels…it did not end well. Your thoughts? Read More 4 13 Advice What is the best practice for starting a fire? Jonnie PekelnyContributor - September 9, 2021 So, I have the fire starting gear that TP recommends — flint fire starter and some tinderquick. But I’ve never actually started a fire from scratch and kept it going. A friend is going to teach me in the fire pit in her back yard. Now I’m wondering what materials to use for the actual fire? What is a realistic scenario for emergency situations? Are we talking twigs? Logs? Something else? Read More 9 21 AdviceSkills Celebrate National Preparedness Month (spread the word, give gifts) July LewisContributor - September 8, 2021 A recent poster was inspired by National Preparedness Month to start a post collecting tips. I had one that I thought might work as its own topic – and that is to use National Preparedness Month as a way to spread the word! Many people struggle with how they can convince the people around them to become more prepared, or whether they even should try (OpSec!!!). ThePrepared has a great article on this. It’s important to spread the word because the more prepared the people around you are, the more prepared you are! National Preparedness Month is a terrific opportunity to encourage others to prep, and will give a huge boost to your efforts – because it’s not just coming from you, it’s a whole national program. You are just spreading the word. Plus it happens in a month where there are typically a lot of emergencies (wildfires, hurricanes) so preparedness is probably already in the back of their minds. A few tips on how you can use the occasion to get others to prepare: 1. Give gifts. OK, your family and close friends probably already know you are a wacky prepper. You’ve probably tried to convince them. So instead of another paranoid plea, make it an occasion and give a gift! 3 days worth of bottled water, or a couple of headlamps, would be affordable options. Plenty of more expensive ideas out there if you have the money! Water filters, NOAA emergency radio, a tub of emergency supplies, fire extinguisher, 3-day emergency food bucket – lots of options. Make it lighthearted and fun. 2. Social Media. A quick post saying it is National Preparedness month, with a link, and giving 1-3 simple ideas for getting started. DON’T make it overwhelming with a giant list or scare stories! Huge lists are the quickest way to get people to tune out. You know all those ads that talk about “One weird trick” or “Do this ONE thing every day” – that’s because people want ONE simple thing to do! I suggest water on my Preparedness Month Facebook post because it’s so basic, important, easy and cheap and not a lot of people store it. If you are really into it, you can offer ONE simple tip per day on your social media for the whole month. Be bright and positive and don’t talk about doomsday scenarios or total collapse. Keep the focus on preparing for short term emergencies, because that’s achievable. Throw in a link to ready.gov, especially this build-a-kit link: https://www.ready.gov/kit 3. Work, neighborhood groups, school and scouts. Any groups you are a part of may be interested in preparedness. Your work probably has an emergency plan – ask about it, maybe offer to help with it or just suggest an employee email updating everyone about emergency procedures. If you are a part of a neighborhood organization or Facebook group, that is a PERFECT way to share a link about National Preparedness Month and possibly some local resources. You could take it much further like developing a neighborhood emergency plan, but even just sharing https://www.ready.gov/kit on your neighborhood email list could make your neighborhood more secure and prepared. You can look into your school’s lesson plans, you can get scouts involved in projects. Use National Preparedness as a jumping off point so it’s not about you being a prepper – it’s about a national program that everyone can participate in. I’m going to post the text of my recent facebook post below, feel free to adapt it. Happy Prepping! —————- It’s National Preparedness Month! Here’s a reminder to get yourselves some basics if you don’t have them already. Already got supplies? It’s a good time to check your supplies and replace anything that’s expired-or set a new preparedness goal!Here are a few absolute basics if you want to start out.1. Water. Get 3 days worth of bottled water (1 gallon per person per day) to start with. More is better – aim for 1 week or 2 if you have the space. The crinkly, milk-jug type of plastic will eventually leak. I like the 3 liter Poland Springs bottles.2. Food. Have some food on hand that can be prepared with minimal power or water, like canned soup, peanut butter, etc. You can keep this in a separate kit or just make a habit of having extra in your pantry. You can also buy one of those 3-day emergency food kits. Kinda pricey but they last a long time and are portable.3. Emergency kit. You can start a kit with supplies often needed in an emergency- at minimum, batteries, flashlights/headlamps and a lighter/matches. If you’ve got nothing else just stop there so you don’t get overwhelmed! But if you have those things, you can add other supplies like emergency blankets, work gloves, gadgets like a solar panel charger and an emergency NOAA radio, a camp stove, matches and lighters, basic tools, a tarp, etc. you may have a lot of these things scattered around the house but it’s good to have a kit of dedicated supplies all in one place. There are tons of emergency kit lists online, but again, don’t get overwhelmed (those lists are long) – just get started! Read More 10 7 Looking for recommendations on metal detectors Bigwig - September 8, 2021 I’m looking for recommendations on metal detectors. One of my neighbors lost his keys in the snow and asked me if I had one. It made me think that it might be handy to have one around for various uses. Knowing nothing about them, I’m assuming there are a number of trade-offs depending on the purpose for its use. Looking for something that is cost-effective for the more casual user. Read More 6 3 AdviceGear Scenario run-through – Hurricane Ida, let’s learn from each other brekke - September 8, 2021 The Earth has been doing some out of character (but not unexpected by climatologists) behavior in the last few years and is likely to continue. I that vein, I think it is a good idea to “test run” our preps for scenarios both likely to hit us and unlikely to occur in our area. My suggestion is to use a real and developing storm to learn from each other, both from the members that will possibly be impacted by this storm, from others that have experienced previous storms, and those that want to test their preps against a storm of this magnitude hitting them. For anyone that is actually threatened by this storm, I hope you will chime in if time allows. I truly would like to learn from this and I hope the storm does change course and lose intensity. Hurricane Ida’s current forecast puts it hitting the Louisiana Gulf coast near New Orleans as a category 3 on Sunday. However, they are saying there’s still plenty of time for this forecast to change. Scenario: You and your family have all of your current preps in place, but this storm is predicted to hit you in approx. 48 hours. For the sake of the scenario, this storm will cause a surge of water (waves, flash flood, dam break or something along those lines) at your location and for 200 miles around. However, it’s still not a certainty at this point and it could brush to the left or right of your location, they just don’t know yet. What is your plan of action? Remember, you only have your current preps to draw from. Oh, and hotels are already filling up outside the 200 mile area. Read More 7 22 Scenarios Know the age, condition, and logistics of local utilities. Plan and prepare accordingly. They will not be as reliable as we hope. Bill Masen - September 8, 2021 Whilst we all know and accept the wisdom of keeping gravity water filters, portable or back up power systems, stored water / bore holes, self defence and your own medical supplies because its just common sense. There is further wisdom in each of us individually investigating the AGE, Physical Condition and seeking out LOCAL information on the LOGISTICS side of your local UTILITIES. IE How old is the power generation and distribution system in your district, Is your community one of those whose usage of power has risen to match the growing consumption of energy associated with the surge of AIRCON and the massive surge of DOMESTIC TECHNOLOGY?? And has the PHYSICAL power supplies distribution chain been upgraded to meet the new demand, especially in places like Silicon Valley and more importantly the surrounding communities where most people reside. (Who has not seen the reports of utility companies turning off power supplies at times of peak demand in a vainglorious attempt to prevent utility created WILD FIREs.) (Who is not aware of the 2 week long ice storm of 2010 that crippled much of the UK. Or the winter storms of 2020 that plunged huge areas of Texas into darkness ?) Starting off at idiot level, how many power cuts does your district suffer in a normal year BEFORE extreme weather or climate change affects such incidents? The more we look the more sense it makes to increase your levels of preparedness to mitigate against the INCREASING frequency of prolonged power outages ( at the worst possible time) That was just discussing ELECTRICITY supplies. Now consider your water supplies. (Look at the growing water crisis in the US south west and the UK south east) Yes folks we are now getting to the stage where you simply can no longer EXPECT the water to come out of the tap (UK) faucet(US) when you turn it on. Preparing not only for our changing climate and increasing reliance on energy means that more than ever we must ALWAYS BE VIGILANT. The time for complacency has passed. Remember Prepping is about being ready BEFORE it hits the fans, being PROactive not REACTIVE. One wayward ship getting stuck in the Suez canal and the simple shortage of workers (and shipping containers) has seen billions of lost dollars in commerce and insane shortages of chips/ miroprocessors crippling many industries ( I truly despise the JUST IN TIME global logistics systems, its a disaster waiting to happen). So if your utilities are aged and under resourced, and at risk from increasing demand or climate change then put down your Soy Lattes and Cappuccinos and do something to make sure you are not the next name on a casualty list. Read More 6 16 DIY post Armageddon long range radio project Bill Masen - September 7, 2021 So I’m technologically illiterate, but I’m told by a ham friend who makes his own stuff that this could be of use to you good folks over the pond. https://hackaday.io/project/171790-armawatch-armachat-long-range-radio-messengers Read More 3 2 Protecting homes from water infiltration Jesse Smith - September 7, 2021 Across the northeast, many thousands of basements and crawlspaces have taken on water. I’m sure this will cost tens or hundreds millions of dollars to fix. A sizable number of these instances could have been easily avoided. Here are some quick thoughts from someone who diagnoses and fixes buildings for a living. Comments here are limited to rural and suburban homes not located in a flood plain. First an anecdote regarding one of the houses I was in last night. Late in the evening one of my neighbors knocked on my door to help another neighbor who she said had around 2″ of water in their basement. I grabbed boots and a headlamp and headed over. Once in the basement I found the owner and 2 other neighbors pushing water towards a sump pump in the rear corner. The water problem was so serious that they noted a nearby basement window well was full of water, which was running down the wall and back into the sump. <This might sound strange, but water infiltration is actually a window into the centuries old feud between religion and science, except that we currently live in something resembling the 1600s. Consequently, a great majority of people adhere to a religious perspective, which stipulates that the gods put water in basements, and there is nothing you can do to stop the basement water gods, aside from being a good person generally. Conversely, the profoundly unpopular scientific view stipulates that water in basements actually originates somewhere other than the basement, and remediation of water infiltration should see considerable effort devoted toward the prevention of water entry. Back to the story.> Being an adherent to the scientific camp, I proceeded outside to investigate potential sources of water infiltration. Once there I discover that the sump outlet was directing most of its water into the window well. So three dudes pushing water into a sump that pushes water into a window well that leaks back into the house in an infinite loop, while Yakety Sax loudly plays in the background (maybe the music is just in my head). My purpose here isn’t to ridicule my neighbors. It’s simply a window into the shortcomings of the nearly universal approach to this problem. In my experience the great majority of basement water infiltration is due to very remedial problems compounded by homeowners’ and technicians’ lack of sophistication, buttressed by their deeply held conviction that they’re a lot smarter than they are. For every 1.5″ of rainfall, each horizontal square foot of your home will manage roughly 1 gallon of water. The footprint of most single family homes is probably over 1500 sq ft (think overhang, garages, porches, etc), which means that a lot of houses last night saw 6000 gallons. In a heavy rain, a single downspout and the ground around it might see over 1000 gallons of water. So this system has to have high integrity. What are some common problem areas? The roof deposits the water into a gutter via a flashing connection (drip edge) which directs water from the roof into the gutter. This drip edge has to be over the gutters. Gutters are often placed over the drip edge, which can direct water behind the gutter. The gutters must be sloped to downspouts (not aggressively 1/16″ per foot is fine) or they will overflow. The gutters must be free from debris or they will overflow. The gutter connection to the downspout must be robust, and the cutout from the gutter must be adequate (read that carefully – a large number of gutters simply have a hole to the downspout that’s too small). The downspouts and sump outlets should deposit water at least 10′ from the foundation where the grade slopes away from the house. (A corollary to this that I may cover later is that we usually don’t go over 20′ and we avoid tying multiple downspouts/sumps together!) I prefer to use 4″ PVC sub-grade to daylight wherever I can. Horizontal downspout extensions get stepped on by people with lawnmowers. Corrugated pipe extensions get knocked loose. Houses where the ground slopes toward the house may need to use grading and landscaping to direct water to the sides. Downspouts are often located in intractably stupid places, i.e. where water simply can’t be managed from the ground. Look up! Can you eliminate that downspout and pitch the gutter towards a different downspout? Can you redirect a substantial amount of water from an upper roof to an alternate downspout? At least half the homes I see have a significant opportunity to redirect water before it hits the ground. One of the most effective ways to evaluate your drainage system is to walk around your house during a torrential rain. Look at every part of the system from the roof-flashing-gutter-downspout-drainage system. Does water pond against the house? Can you redirect it? For advanced diagnosticians, here are some handy tips for interpreting symptoms and the nomenclature of homeowners or techs: Efflorescence is characterized by salt deposits on the inside of masonry walls. This will form in areas with longstanding moisture problems, meaning the foundation is staying wet for a very long time. Check for water sources on the outside. I play a fun guessing game from inside the basement called ‘where are your downspouts? Oh, there they are!’ “My house has high water table.” = Water is getting into my basement and I don’t know why. “This whole neighborhood has high water table.” = My neighbors are idiots too. “The water is coming in through the floor.” = I don’t know where the water is entering and I’ve confused the low point in my basement slab with the point of entry. Hope someone finds this helpful! Read More 6 12 < Prev 1 2 3 … 37 38 39 … 60 61 62 Next > Recently Active Fun ways to teach kids outdoor/survival skills - 6 days agoNews for the week of 2025-06-30 - 7 days agoNews for the week of 2025-06-23 - 2 weeks agoNews for the week of 2025-06-16 - 2 weeks agoNews for the week of 2025-06-09 - 4 weeks ago RULES This forum is heavily moderated to keep things valuable to as many people as possible. Full community policies are here. The basics: 1. Be nice to each other. 2. Stay focused on prepping. 3. Avoid politics, religion, and other arguments. 4. No unfounded conspiracies, fake news, etc. 5. Debate ideas, not people. FILTER Show all Advice Gear Meta News Scenarios Skills

Safely dealing with urban sewage during a disaster

GMTII - September 14, 2021

Hello. I’m new to the site and recently found an acute need to upgrade my preparedness. I moved to a flood prone urban area with an inadequate sewer/water system.

Flood waters are a combo of actual rain, raw sewage backed up from the sewer system, and the various chemicals and oils from flooded cars.

In a worst case scenario I would be walking through 12 in + of this stuff to get to safety. I also need a way to purify the municipal tap water for drinking. These events damage the water system and boil water warnings can last many days and are issued too late. I think it’s best to assume tap water is contaminated with whatever is in the flood waters as soon as the weather hits.

I have several days water in the recommended containers but that’s too heavy if we have to evac on foot.

What do you think on best PPE for wading through it? I currently have waterproof boots on order but will need something more substantial.

How about purifying the water if we have to leave home? I have a MSR Guardian Gravity purifier but it isn’t rated for chemicals. Maybe adding P&G Purifier of Water solution as an initial step?

At home I would also use a ZeroWater which has a good profile for removing various heavy metals/chemicals.

Thanks a lot. I look forward to being part of this helpful community.

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How Japan is beginning to rediscover self reliance

Bill Masen - September 14, 2021

An Interesting short show on how Covid appears to have become the tipping  point for many urban professionals who are now looking more into leaving the city and becoming self reliant in the Japanese countryside, the countryside in itself has beeen becoming ever more depopulated through urban migration since the end of WW2.

I see the beginning of similar changing perceptions occuring in Europe and America.

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My, how times and attitudes have changed.

Bill Masen - September 14, 2021

Soooooo I just read this insightful article from the TP blog.

https://theprepared.com/blog/new-statistics-on-modern-prepper-demographics-from-fema-and-cornell-university/

And it got me thinking about how WESTERN values, judgements and opinions have changed since 1990.

Back then at the collapse of the Cold war and Soviet Union we holier than thou westerners looked down our collective noses at how the proletariat of the eastern block lived.

“Har Har Har look at those agricultural Lada cars, they have no fuel injection, no ICE or onboard computers, their suspension systems travel 8 inches to cope with the dreaful roads, isnt it funny watching them being repaired in a barn with a hammer and chisel.”

or

” My god look how these peasants live compared to us sophisticated westerners with our modern apartments, electronically managed homes, electrically heated homes, air con in everything with our 24/7s, Deli’s, Coffee bars etc on every corner. “

“Just look at the eastern Europeans with their log piles, wood burning stoves, vegetable gardens,fish ponds, smoke houses, pigs, goats, chickens and cattle. They are having to grow and preserve their own food, they are generating their own power, digging bore holes and wells and having to rely on wind pumps to bring the water up. Just look how primative they are with no doctors in the community, everyone has to have self reliance skills because they cannot rely on the state or the system.”

My how we laughed and mocked those easterners who were NOT reliant on just in time deliveries, supermarkets, cops on speed dial, home with only occasional mains utilities.

“Hah, we have perfectly manicured lawns instead of Veg gardens, We have Poodles, Pekinese and electrically heated and filtered pools whilst they keep chickens, rabbits and pigs. We have boundless supplies of fresh water from the Rockies to water the Napa valley and to keep the golf courses in vegas lush and green”. We tamed our wilderness and turned our forests into parks whilst those ignorant peasants woodlands are used to get firewood, make charcoal, still full of Deer, Wild Board, Turkeys, Grouse, Pheasant, Bears, etc. Heck they dont even have power distribution pylons and masts supplying power 24/7/365 they way we have, They have to be ready to weather frequent power cuts. they are so backward in places they have to make their own diesel and alcohol to power their primative cars.

They are so primative and backwards they have learned NEVER to rely on the State, Government or System to keep them fed, watered, illuminated, cool, warm, healthy, clean and mobile…

Is that a worm I see turning? 🙂

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Ideas on carrying ID in your bug out bag

Jonnie PekelnyContributor - September 14, 2021

I pack and expired US passport in my BOB and also have my driver’s license in my wallet, which I carry in my pocket. I’ve been thinking though that ID is so important, I should add it to my flash drive, which I also carry in my BOB. On the other hand, I don’t want my identity to be stolen. What do you do for ID in your bug out prepping?

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Flu season almost upon us

JennyWren - September 14, 2021

Well folks, it’s that time of year again. Got a letter from my doctor to book a flu vaccine. It’s free for me this time as I now am in the at risk age group (according to the govt) so I went online and have it booked for beginning of October. I was offered an earlier appointment, but wanted to give my body’s immune system chance to calm down after the ravages of Covid before I give it another dose of info to read. I’m also considering paying for the Pneumonia vaccine. 

Anyone else had the call yet?

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Video, Bugging out of coastal cities by boat.

Bill Masen - September 14, 2021

An interesting take on Urban prepping in which  being able to safely flee a city in a disaster is portrayed as being ” Insurance” ( for the wealthy)  rather than prepping.  I suppose it does open up some options and alternatives for the community at large to consider, especially as so many users of TP are urban preppers? Second part looks at those converting old silos into redoubts, a tad OTT for me.

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Small solar set up for short term emergencies

JennyWren - September 13, 2021

For some years I have had a couple of small solar powered set ups. One is a 12V system, the other 5V.

The 12V consists a 25W 12V solar panel, 20W 12VSealed Gel Battery A 200W inverter. It’s a basic set up that provides sufficient power to illuminate the shed where it resides and I can also use it to charge my laptop, travel kettle and a few other small items.

The 5V system is more portable and I use it when I go camping.

This consists 28W 5v folding solar panel, 2,  20,000mAh power banks an assortment of usb friendly leads to charge any number of usb items, including phone, tablet, I run lights and a fan off the power banks. The power banks are really handy for camping and one lasts me a week. 

Neither were particularly expensive to buy and both have proven handy. 

Thinking about the temperature sensitive medication, you could run a small electric cooler or one of those mini fridges from the 12V version.

Any question s, ask away and I’ll do my best to answer them. 🙂

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Gear

Realities of living underground

Carter Murphy - September 13, 2021

A lot of preppers fantasize about underground shelters, whether as an emergency-only bunker or a daily home that is both safe and more eco friendly. But it seems that, like most things, fantasy is different from reality.

Found this interesting post where a family moved into their dream underground home, but turned out not to like it. Here’s their reasons why:

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Scenarios

Dutch oven cooking

Barb LeeContributor - September 12, 2021

I’m not an expert with a Dutch oven (camp oven) but I’ve got a good command of the basics.  I’ve recently revived my “hobby” of cooking in a Dutch as I prepare one-pot meal “kits” from dehydrated and canned foods.  Last night I took it all to the outdoors, and what a success! 

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of discussion on the use of a Dutch oven here on TP, at least a search didn’t reveal much.  I can’t think of a better cooking option during a power outage (as long as you can source fuel – we stockpile charcoal, but would have a supply of hardwood as well).  You can cook almost anything in a Dutch – roast, bake, simmer, fry on the upturned lid.  And you can use it in almost any weather, as long as you can keep it dry and sheltered from wind.

The fuel required depends on the size oven one is cooking in, and how long a cooking time.  Last night I used a 10″ oven to cook a four-serving casserole, the fuel consumption was 20 briquettes, and with the “kit” (1 pint jar hamburger, and packets of dehydrated veggies, spices and topping), the cooking length was two refreshing beverages.  Meal preparation time was almost nil, which doesn’t include the time spent in the separate operations of preserving and assembling the ingredients.

My long term goal is to hone my baking skills, maybe try stacking the ovens (did that only once) and continuing to find and “kit up” meals that are quick to prepare and require minimal fuel. (And taste great!!)

So, any other Dutch oven aficionados out there?  Is there a place in your preps for this remarkable tool?

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Staying Prepped – How to stay the course and avoid burnout

UbiqueContributor - September 12, 2021

I wondered today how many people started prepping in the last year and how many will stay prepped after the pandemic is over.

During a crisis, people discover their vulnerability. 

Empty supermarket shelves, and later on, an empty refrigerator and cupboards drive home just how vulnerable they really are.

During Covid-19, people searched and searched for items they needed, only to find back orders and not in stock or worse, limits on what they purchase. This meant they had to go back again and again during a pandemic and risk contracting a deadly virus every time they went out. It also meant they could bring that virus home and infect their family members.

It happened during the Avian influenza pandemic. It will happen every time there is a disaster.

What I wonder is why don’t people just stay prepped once they discover their vulnerability? They have some preps in place. Why stop?

Do people just lose interest in the absence of a crisis or disaster? Did prepping get to be too much for them and they began to feel overwhelmed? Are they “burned out” from the stress of planning and prepping? 

Is it a matter of money that stops people from continuing to prep? Could it be peer pressure from family or friends who “tolerated” their prepping during the crisis?

Do people believe lightening never strikes twice?

Maybe it happens because they can resume their old lives.

I admit some days I feel like my head is going to explode when I’m trying to decide on something or figure out prepping plans. But you know, the days when I solve a problem or learn a new skill or knowledge are my best days of all.

I can look at my preps or plans and think, yeah, it may be tough some days, but it is so worth it.

How do you stay prepped and avoid burn out? Do you know of other people who prepped and stopped?

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Advice

Prepping for disabled mobility

Bill Masen - September 11, 2021

Couple of times over the years I’ve worked with assorted folks with various disabilities, and call me crazy but I like to sniff around to try and find gear or stuff that will improve their lot AND / OR more importantly improve their MOBILITY.

I keep finding interesting designs for gear and snippets that could prove useful.

Here is a tiny fraction FYI

From ABLE magazine a selection of alll terrain wheel chair vehicles.

https://ablemagazine.co.uk/terrain-wheelchairs-wild-things/

I really like the TREKINETIC

Home – Trekinetic – Mk3 Draft

I have even seen a few on the moors here in the UK miles from anywhere and on the most dreadful of tracks, some folks wont let anything stop them.  A couple of them carried their own camping gear with them, truly impressive.

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Americans today Sept 11 2021

Bill Masen - September 11, 2021

OT

Just thinking about you lot across the pond today.

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Emergency evacuations and their funding

Bob - September 11, 2021

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2021/09/09/630758.htm

Good evening,

Frequently many private citizens do not evacuate to safety after a weather emergency because of the large costs. My agreement on these big costs are 100%.

The above linked article tells of Louisiana initiating a program via their insurance regulations to help fund evac costs.

“Insurance” is a specific category of risk management. From the non-risk management perspective this Louisiana program could be called a “test case”.

As sad as the Louisiana adverse weather situations are, it is like this in most other places – and I know the meaning of “most”.

The article is well worth glancing at.

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Preprogramming ham radios with emergencies in mind

Jonnie PekelnyContributor - September 11, 2021

I have two HT radios — the sum total of my radio equipment. One of these is in my BOB and the other in my house, principally for in-home use. I would like to preprogram these radios as much as possible in advance, so that in case of emergency or evacuation I don’t have to fiddle with programming them manually — particularly if I’m out of the area and am not familiar with the local stations.

As a baby ham without many connections in the community, I don’t have default stations, repeaters or organizations that I would be a part of in an emergency. I have a very minimal connection to my local ARES group — I’ve participated in some of their weekly checkins and I know the closest accessible repeater in my area, run by the local ham radio club, of which I’m not a member. That’s about it.

I was thinking to lookup and program a bunch of repeaters in the surrounding larger area, maybe as far as an hour’s drive away, so that a repeater may be reachable even if I’m out of my immediate area. But I’m not sure if it’s worth the effort since I hear that many registered repeaters are inactive for all intents and purposes. Is there something better I can do?

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AdviceScenarios

“Return to Normal” What are your signals/Indicators/metrics?

Rich DCContributor - September 10, 2021

Similar to how often it is suggested you have a plan/criteria for when to bug out or bunker in… What are your plans and the signals/indicators you’re looking at for a “return to normal” from this past year?  

My own personal thoughts:  I’ve been vaccinated, but I’m also cautious but nature.  And a huge introvert… so not hurting to go out and party like its 2019, exactly.

I’m looking for sustained downward trends in both covid cases and deaths, and I’m looking at local/regional as well as state and national levels.  My region seems to be doing pretty well, seem to be declining to pre-first-wave numbers if the trend hold for a couple more days.  State and national numbers aren’t as great (seem to be at levels from last summer).  The majority of the news I read seems to indicate that the vaccines are fairly effective even with many/most of the variants, keeping my fingers crossed there but paying close attention.

That being said, my cautious nature and general civility towards the mask mandates of my local businesses keep me from acting like this is all over.  I’ve gone back to the gym, but with mask left on at all times and on off peak hours.  Haven’t eaten out yet, but when I do it will probably only be outside for a while.  But I might, and this sounds crazy, hang out unmasked with small groups of friends who have also been vaccinated and are at least moderately responsible.  Probably not at bars/clubs though, more likely outside or private residences.

So just curious, what are your metrics/methods?  Not proposing/wanting to presume anyone to be less safe than they are comfortable with, just curious what your risk threshold is these days.

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One of the best articles I have read about home schooling

Bill Masen - September 10, 2021

Over the 40 odd years I’ve been into prepping/ off gridding/survivalism I have noticed a slow but steady increase in the number of people making great personal sacrifice to home school or local group home school their children.  And like the article below I remember it being mainly hippies and anti establishment types  doing it in the beginning. But that has changed both in the US and abroad. More and more enlightened and concerned parents are now withdrawing their kids from the highly politicised state education systems.

And by pure coincidence I found a home schooling group in a large new garden village only 3 miles from my place. This garden village is full of huge homes and many VERY successful professionals ( its even got its own golf course and spa) Yet these accountants, senior management, lawyers, MDs etc are openly hostile to both STATE and PRIVATE school offerings in this area. Hence multiple families now cooperate with home schooling, even hiring teachers when necessary to teach the kids subjects the parents dont have the skills to do.

Personally I believe through my own personal experiences that home school kids get a broader far reaching education and it creates more questioning minds than state offering do.

I also see the political indoctrination of our children by certain interested parties as a clear threat to our childrens developments.

https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/american-homeschooling-goes-boom

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Food prep inventory tracking

MrsG - September 9, 2021

This is similar to brekke’s question about spreadsheets or lists.  How do you all keep track of your food preps?  Any great system or set up to recommend?  I had a go at making a tracking system on google sheets but it seems unwieldy.  I’d like to make sure I have enough, of things we eat, and that I rotate them well (the cooking and menu planning is a real strong point for me–the technology aspect not so much).

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Back up power system/power station for a farm

Bongohead - September 9, 2021

Hola from The Republic of Panama!

Friends, I approach you with humility in my heart and openness in my mind: my family has a beautiful (IMHO) 20 acre farm in the mountains of Panama and while it does have the foundations of a self-sustaining property (plenty of grazing land, fruit trees, vegetable fields, multiple clean water wells, etc) I feel the one thing that constantly eludes us is an efficient power system that could help us keep the juice flowing during a lights out SHTF. Our KWh a month ranges from 180 to 196. We have about two acres free for use in such a project…but what CAN we do? We tried solar panels…it did not end well. Your thoughts?

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Advice

What is the best practice for starting a fire?

Jonnie PekelnyContributor - September 9, 2021

So, I have the fire starting gear that TP recommends — flint fire starter and some tinderquick. But I’ve never actually started a fire from scratch and kept it going. A friend is going to teach me in the fire pit in her back yard. Now I’m wondering what materials to use for the actual fire? What is a realistic scenario for emergency situations? Are we talking twigs? Logs? Something else?

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AdviceSkills

Celebrate National Preparedness Month (spread the word, give gifts)

July LewisContributor - September 8, 2021

A recent poster was inspired by National Preparedness Month to start a post collecting tips. I had one that I thought might work as its own topic – and that is to use National Preparedness Month as a way to spread the word! 

Many people struggle with how they can convince the people around them to become more prepared, or whether they even should try (OpSec!!!). ThePrepared has a great article on this. It’s important to spread the word because the more prepared the people around you are, the more prepared you are! National Preparedness Month is a terrific opportunity to encourage others to prep, and will give a huge boost to your efforts – because it’s not just coming from you, it’s a whole national program. You are just spreading the word. Plus it happens in a month where there are typically a lot of emergencies (wildfires, hurricanes) so preparedness is probably already in the back of their minds. A few tips on how you can use the occasion to get others to prepare:

1. Give gifts. OK, your family and close friends probably already know you are a wacky prepper. You’ve probably tried to convince them. So instead of another paranoid plea, make it an occasion and give a gift! 3 days worth of bottled water, or a couple of headlamps, would be affordable options. Plenty of more expensive ideas out there if you have the money! Water filters, NOAA emergency radio, a tub of emergency supplies, fire extinguisher, 3-day emergency food bucket – lots of options. Make it lighthearted and fun. 

2. Social Media. A quick post saying it is National Preparedness month, with a link, and giving 1-3 simple ideas for getting started. DON’T make it overwhelming with a giant list or scare stories! Huge lists are the quickest way to get people to tune out. You know all those ads that talk about “One weird trick” or “Do this ONE thing every day” – that’s because people want ONE simple thing to do! I suggest water on my Preparedness Month Facebook post because it’s so basic, important, easy and cheap and not a lot of people store it. If you are really into it, you can offer ONE simple tip per day on your social media for the whole month. Be bright and positive and don’t talk about doomsday scenarios or total collapse. Keep the focus on preparing for short term emergencies, because that’s achievable. Throw in a link to ready.gov, especially this build-a-kit link: https://www.ready.gov/kit

3. Work, neighborhood groups, school and scouts. Any groups you are a part of may be interested in preparedness. Your work probably has an emergency plan – ask about it, maybe offer to help with it or just suggest an employee email updating everyone about emergency procedures. If you are a part of a neighborhood organization or Facebook group, that is a PERFECT way to share a link about National Preparedness Month and possibly some local resources. You could take it much further like developing a neighborhood emergency plan, but even just sharing https://www.ready.gov/kit on your neighborhood email list could make your neighborhood more secure and prepared. You can look into your school’s lesson plans, you can get scouts involved in projects. Use National Preparedness as a jumping off point so it’s not about you being a prepper – it’s about a national program that everyone can participate in.

I’m going to post the text of my recent facebook post below, feel free to adapt it. Happy Prepping!  

—————-

It’s National Preparedness Month! Here’s a reminder to get yourselves some basics if you don’t have them already. Already got supplies? It’s a good time to check your supplies and replace anything that’s expired-or set a new preparedness goal!
Here are a few absolute basics if you want to start out.
1. Water. Get 3 days worth of bottled water (1 gallon per person per day) to start with. More is better – aim for 1 week or 2 if you have the space. The crinkly, milk-jug type of plastic will eventually leak. I like the 3 liter Poland Springs bottles.
2. Food. Have some food on hand that can be prepared with minimal power or water, like canned soup, peanut butter, etc. You can keep this in a separate kit or just make a habit of having extra in your pantry. You can also buy one of those 3-day emergency food kits. Kinda pricey but they last a long time and are portable.
3. Emergency kit. You can start a kit with supplies often needed in an emergency- at minimum, batteries, flashlights/headlamps and a lighter/matches. If you’ve got nothing else just stop there so you don’t get overwhelmed! But if you have those things, you can add other supplies like emergency blankets, work gloves, gadgets like a solar panel charger and an emergency NOAA radio, a camp stove, matches and lighters, basic tools, a tarp, etc. you may have a lot of these things scattered around the house but it’s good to have a kit of dedicated supplies all in one place. There are tons of emergency kit lists online, but again, don’t get overwhelmed (those lists are long) – just get started!

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Looking for recommendations on metal detectors

Bigwig - September 8, 2021

I’m looking for recommendations on metal detectors.  One of my neighbors lost his keys in the snow and asked me if I had one.  It made me think that it might be handy to have one around for various uses.  Knowing nothing about them, I’m assuming there are a number of trade-offs depending on the purpose for its use.  Looking for something that is cost-effective for the more casual user.

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AdviceGear

Scenario run-through – Hurricane Ida, let’s learn from each other

brekke - September 8, 2021

The Earth has been doing some out of character (but not unexpected by climatologists) behavior in the last few years and is likely to continue. I that vein, I think it is a good idea to “test run” our preps for scenarios both likely to hit us and unlikely to occur in our area. My suggestion is to use a real and developing storm to learn from each other, both from the members that will possibly be impacted by this storm, from others that have experienced previous storms, and those that want to test their preps against a storm of this magnitude hitting them.

For anyone that is actually threatened by this storm, I hope you will chime in if time allows. I truly would like to learn from this and I hope the storm does change course and lose intensity.

Hurricane Ida’s current forecast puts it hitting the Louisiana Gulf coast near New Orleans as a category 3 on Sunday. However, they are saying there’s still plenty of time for this forecast to change. 

Scenario: You and your family have all of your current preps in place, but this storm is predicted to hit you in approx. 48 hours. For the sake of the scenario, this storm will cause a surge of water (waves, flash flood, dam break or something along those lines) at your location and for 200 miles around. However, it’s still not a certainty at this point and it could brush to the left or right of your location, they just don’t know yet. What is your plan of action? Remember, you only have your current preps to draw from. Oh, and hotels are already filling up outside the 200 mile area. 

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Scenarios

Know the age, condition, and logistics of local utilities. Plan and prepare accordingly. They will not be as reliable as we hope.

Bill Masen - September 8, 2021

Whilst we all know and accept the wisdom of keeping gravity water filters, portable or back up power systems, stored water / bore holes, self defence and your own medical supplies because its just common sense.  There is further wisdom in each of us individually investigating the AGE, Physical Condition and seeking out LOCAL information on the LOGISTICS side of your local UTILITIES.

IE How old is the power generation and distribution system in your district, Is your community one of those whose usage of power has risen to match the growing consumption of energy associated with the surge of AIRCON and the massive surge of DOMESTIC TECHNOLOGY??

And has the PHYSICAL power supplies distribution chain been upgraded to meet the new demand, especially in places like Silicon Valley and more importantly the surrounding communities where most people reside.

(Who has not seen the reports of utility companies turning off power supplies at times of peak demand in a vainglorious attempt to prevent utility created WILD FIREs.)

(Who is not aware of the 2 week long ice storm of 2010 that crippled much of the UK. Or the winter storms of 2020 that plunged huge areas of Texas into darkness ?)

Starting off at idiot level, how many power cuts does your district suffer in a normal year BEFORE extreme weather or climate change affects such incidents?

The more we look the more sense it makes to increase your levels of preparedness to mitigate against the INCREASING frequency of prolonged power outages ( at the worst possible time)

That was just discussing ELECTRICITY supplies.  Now consider your water supplies.

(Look at the growing water crisis in the US south west and the UK south east)

Yes folks we are now getting to the stage where you simply can no longer EXPECT the water to come out of the tap (UK) faucet(US) when you turn it on.

Preparing not only for our changing climate and increasing reliance on energy means that more than ever we must ALWAYS BE VIGILANT. The time for complacency has passed. Remember Prepping is about being ready BEFORE it hits the fans, being PROactive not REACTIVE.

One wayward ship getting stuck in the Suez canal and the simple shortage of workers (and shipping containers)  has seen billions of lost dollars in commerce and insane shortages of chips/ miroprocessors crippling many industries ( I truly despise the JUST IN TIME global logistics systems, its a disaster waiting to happen).

So if your utilities are aged and under resourced, and at risk from increasing demand or climate change then put down your Soy Lattes and Cappuccinos  and do something to make sure you are not the next name on a casualty list.

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DIY post Armageddon long range radio project

Bill Masen - September 7, 2021

So I’m technologically illiterate, but I’m told by a ham friend who makes his own stuff that this could be of use to you good folks over the pond.

https://hackaday.io/project/171790-armawatch-armachat-long-range-radio-messengers

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Protecting homes from water infiltration

Jesse Smith - September 7, 2021

Across the northeast, many thousands of basements and crawlspaces have taken on water. I’m sure this will cost tens or hundreds millions of dollars to fix. A sizable number of these instances could have been easily avoided. Here are some quick thoughts from someone who diagnoses and fixes buildings for a living. Comments here are limited to rural and suburban homes not located in a flood plain.

First an anecdote regarding one of the houses I was in last night. Late in the evening one of my neighbors knocked on my door to help another neighbor who she said had around 2″ of water in their basement. I grabbed boots and a headlamp and headed over. Once in the basement I found the owner and 2 other neighbors pushing water towards a sump pump in the rear corner. The water problem was so serious that they noted a nearby basement window well was full of water, which was running down the wall and back into the sump. 

<This might sound strange, but water infiltration is actually a window into the centuries old feud between religion and science, except that we currently live in something resembling the 1600s. Consequently, a great majority of people adhere to a religious perspective, which stipulates that the gods put water in basements, and there is nothing you can do to stop the basement water gods, aside from being a good person generally. Conversely, the profoundly unpopular scientific view stipulates that water in basements actually originates somewhere other than the basement, and remediation of water infiltration should see considerable effort devoted toward the prevention of water entry. Back to the story.>

Being an adherent to the scientific camp, I proceeded outside to investigate potential sources of water infiltration. Once there I discover that the sump outlet was directing most of its water into the window well. So three dudes pushing water into a sump that pushes water into a window well that leaks back into the house in an infinite loop, while Yakety Sax loudly plays in the background (maybe the music is just in my head). 

My purpose here isn’t to ridicule my neighbors. It’s simply a window into the shortcomings of the nearly universal approach to this problem. In my experience the great majority of basement water infiltration is due to very remedial problems compounded by homeowners’ and technicians’ lack of sophistication, buttressed by their deeply held conviction that they’re a lot smarter than they are.

For every 1.5″ of rainfall, each horizontal square foot of your home will manage roughly 1 gallon of water. The footprint of most single family homes is probably over 1500 sq ft (think overhang, garages, porches, etc), which means that a lot of houses last night saw 6000 gallons. In a heavy rain, a single downspout and the ground around it might see over 1000 gallons of water. So this system has to have high integrity. What are some common problem areas? 

The roof  deposits the water into a gutter via a flashing connection (drip edge) which directs water from the roof into the gutter. This drip edge has to be over the gutters. Gutters are often placed over the drip edge, which can direct water behind the gutter. The gutters must be sloped to downspouts (not aggressively 1/16″ per foot is fine) or they will overflow. The gutters must be free from debris or they will overflow. The gutter connection to the downspout must be robust, and the cutout from the gutter must be adequate (read that carefully – a large number of gutters simply have a hole to the downspout that’s too small).  The downspouts and sump outlets should deposit water at least 10′ from the foundation where the grade slopes away from the house. (A corollary to this that I may cover later is that we usually don’t go over 20′ and we avoid tying multiple downspouts/sumps together!) I prefer to use 4″ PVC sub-grade to daylight wherever I can. Horizontal downspout extensions get stepped on by people with lawnmowers. Corrugated pipe extensions get knocked loose.  Houses where the ground slopes toward the house may need to use grading and landscaping to direct water to the sides.  Downspouts are often located in intractably stupid places, i.e. where water simply can’t be managed from the ground. Look up! Can you eliminate that downspout and pitch the gutter towards a different downspout? Can you redirect a substantial amount of water from an upper roof to an alternate downspout? At least half the homes I see have a significant opportunity to redirect water before it hits the ground.

One of the most effective ways to evaluate your drainage system is to walk around your house during a torrential rain. Look at every part of the system from the roof-flashing-gutter-downspout-drainage system. Does water pond against the house? Can you redirect it? 

For advanced diagnosticians, here are some handy tips for interpreting symptoms and the nomenclature of homeowners or techs: 

Efflorescence is characterized by salt deposits on the inside of masonry walls. This will form in areas with longstanding moisture problems, meaning the foundation is staying wet for a very long time. Check for water sources on the outside. I play a fun guessing game from inside the basement called ‘where are your downspouts? Oh, there they are!’  “My house has high water table.” = Water is getting into my basement and I don’t know why. “This whole neighborhood has high water table.” = My neighbors are idiots too.  “The water is coming in through the floor.” = I don’t know where the water is entering and I’ve confused the low point in my basement slab with the point of entry.

Hope someone finds this helpful!

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