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Where do you keep your car fire extinguisher?
pnwsarahContributor - September 26, 2021 Feels like an exceedingly mundane thing to post about under the circumstances, but: I was digging back through the blog archives over the holidays and read somewhere (either on TP or in a linked article) that one should keep one’s car fire extinguisher within reach of the driver’s seat. Makes sense, but after driving around for a few days with my fire extinguisher rolling around in the passenger side footwell, I can’t help feeling like it would be a super dangerous projectile in an accident. Does anyone have a good method or approach for safely securing their fire extinguisher within reach of the driver’s seat?
And note I don’t have one of those yawning cavern center console bins with a locking lid, so I’m thinking about strapping the thing to the seat somehow.
Read MoreWhat’s the best contractor bag size and thickness for bug out bags?
Jonnie PekelnyContributor - September 26, 2021 This is hopefully a simple question. I’m upgrading the trash bags in my BOB to the contractor bags recommended on this site. I’ve never bought contractor bags, so I don’t have a feel for their bulkiness or weight or even size really. I know that the premium ones are 42 gallons and 3 mil. Is this what’s recommended? I don’t want to overkill and carry more weight and bulk than necessary. What kind of contractor-type bags do folks carry?
Read MoreBatteries and BoBs
MrsG - September 26, 2021 I’m working on getting the BoBs set up for myself and my family. Today I was adding headlamps, which take batteries. Is there consensus about storing them with the batteries in or adjacent? Any tips on tracking this kind of thing. Thanks!
Read MoreSafety Goggles for Protesting
Sun Yeti - September 26, 2021 I exercise my first amendment rights to peaceable assembly from time to time, although covid certainly makes me think twice about being anywhere in a large group these days. Nonetheless, having seen footage of recent protests, I decided I should get a pair of safety goggles for any future protests I might attend. I have three main criteria:
1. Passes MIL-PRF 32432 High Velocity Impact Standards. Should my eye have the misfortune to encounter a rubber bullet, I would like to still be able to see with that eye subsequently.
2. Doesn’t make me a target. If I’m ostentatiously covered in protective gear, that might be seen as an invitation to attack me. It also makes it easier to claim that I’m some kind of ‘agitator’. So I would like a pair of goggles that doesn’t look too different from a pair of glasses.
3. Keeps out tear gas. Should fully seal against my face, ideally with a D5 rating (resistant to fine dust).
Other features, such as anti-fog and transition (gets darker in bright light) coatings, comfort, low cost etc. are desirable, but not required.
I’ve spent a couple hours scouring the Internet for such a product, but I have yet to find something that meets more than two of the main criteria. Here are some examples:
Pyramex Safety Torser Safety Goggles: https://www.discountsafetygear.com/pyramex-safety-torser-safety-goggles.html . Does NOT meet criteria 1. Meets criteria 2. Meets criteria 3: creates a pretty good seal (rated D4 for dust, but not D5 for fine dust). Other: cheap, anti fog.
Pyramex SB7080SDT I-Force Sporty Dual Pane Anti-Fog Goggles: https://www.amazon.com/Pyramex-Strap-Temples-Indoor-Outdoor-Anti-Fog-SB7080SDT/dp/B006WPSF72?th=1 . Meets criteria 1. Meets criteria 2. Does not meet criteria 3: might kind of seal against my face if I pulled it extremely tight, has no rating for dust resistance. Other: anti fog, transition coating.
Pyramex GC504TN Capstone Safety Goggles Chemical Green Frame Clear Lens Anti-Fog: https://www.rajsupply.com/pyramex-gc504t.html . Meets criteria 1. Does NOT meet criteria 2: it would be very obvious that I was wearing industrial-grade eye protection. Meets criteria 3 (probably): makes a full seal and has vent caps although it is not specifically dust rated. Other: cheap, anti-fog.
So, does anyone know of a product that does meet all three of my criteria? I suppose if you think my criteria are wrong I’d be interested in hearing your logic. If no such product exists, does anyone have experience modifying eyewear? I’ve thought of trying to add a good seal to a product that meets criteria 1 and 2, but I’d really rather have something that’s been tested and rated.
Read MoreFasteners – Important items needed to repair, attach and help you hold it together during a crisis
UbiqueContributor - September 24, 2021 We think of fasteners as nails, screws, bolts with nuts and washers. Most preppers store a wide variety of these items. But there are other kinds of equally important fasteners to store.
Zip ties are good to have on hand in a variety of lengths with a consideration that white zip ties don’t last as long as black ties will last. Some types of zip ties are reusable.
I also save twist ties, such as the long ones that come with the packaging of certain items. Twist ties also come in packages of garbage bags or can be on bread. I use them to hold inventory tags on my prep item shelves and can be easily moved around.
Rope made of synthetic or natural fibres such as hemp and in different length and weights. Watch the synthetic rope for quality. My husband just found out yesterday that a rope he just bought was not the typical poly rope he believed he had purchased. It will need to be repurposed for a much lighter project so as not to waste it. It was good to find that out before it might have been needed in an emergency.
Don’t forget the importance of string as a fastener. It can be used to bind and hold herbs for drying. Heavier string can be used to macrame a plant holder.
Yarn can repair or bind together when you darn a hole in a sweater or socks. Thread in a variety of basic colors, weights and type cotton and polyester with an large supply of needles of various sizes, plus dressmaker pins are necessary if you need to repair or make clothing. In a long crisis you may need to remake clothing as children grow.
Snaps, hooks and eyes, and a grommet tool with grommets are good to have on hand. What about buttons and zippers? Have a variety of sizes on hand to repair clothing. During a crisis, clothing takes a beating and if it becomes a longer duration, consider the need for have buttons and zippers on hand.
Bungee cords in a variety of lengths can serve in a range of situations with it’s handy flexibility.
Adhesives are a fastener also and should be on hand to repair a variety of materials. “Shoo goo” is the brand I keep in my prep and regular supply for repairing boots. I have kept boots water tight and in use for many additional years using “Shoo goo.” For certain repairs to boots, I have used clamps to hold the pieces together while it cured for twenty-four hours.
On the subject of boots, keep a good supply of extra boot and shoe laces in your preps.
Superglue doesn’t have the life span of other adhesives, although I keep it on hand for quick repairs of lighter items. I keep Gorilla glue, two-part epoxy glue, wood glue, and ceramic glue on hand. Even acrylic and silicone caulk can be included in glues. I have used acrylic caulk to install small pieces of baseboard.
Tape of various types are also important fasteners. I keep tapes like foil (for sealing HVAC ducts, hockey, masking, tuck (for sealing vapor barrier), duct, and a lot of packing tape for it’s variety of use.
A good staple gun/brad nailer combo with an assortment of each is very important for repairs. Don’t forget household staples and an assortment of bulldog clips. These items are useful for reorganizing hard printed copies of important information as a crisis continues. Also bulldog clips can be hung with items attached and can be used for more than paper.
A pail of roofing repair tar to seal leaks in a roof, roofing nails, and extra shingles can help secure your home if no one is available to repair it during a crisis. Learn how to do it before a disaster happens.
There are many other types of fasteners. To be fully prepared, review all the components of your home and your preps and consider what kind of fasteners you might need in a crisis of a long duration. What might wear out? How could you repair the item?
Read MoreHave you checked your batteries in your device lately?
Bigwig - September 21, 2021 I have a shelf full of flashlights and lanterns, most stored with batteries. I don’t want to have to find and load some batteries during a power outage. As such, I periodically check the batteries in these and other battery-powered devices to see if there are any issues, especially ones that I don’t use very often. I did find one light with batteries that had obviously leaked and was corroded. I was able to clean it out and salvage the light.
Do you regularly check you batteries in your devices?
Read MoreAA batteries for HT ham radios (particularly Baofengs)
Jonnie PekelnyContributor - September 19, 2021 For those of you who use AA battery packs as backup power supplies for your HT radios, particularly Baofengs, what kinds of batteries do you use? Alkaline? Disposable lithium? Rechargeable? How long do they batteries tend to last when powering the radio? (I realize this is dependent on the usage, but some idea would be helpful.) How many sets of batteries do you carry for your radio?
Read MoreUtilities shut off – Do you know what to do?
Bigwig - September 18, 2021 Recently I came across a video that demonstrated how to shut off the water at the street using a street key. It reminded me that I should have that capability. What about other utilities?
Water – We have city water which has the meter inside and two ball-type shut-off valves. Every six months, I take my family down to the basement and let them turn off/on the water to the house (they are not mechanically inclined). As far as the shutoff at the street, the city will be marking where the street shutoff is and I will be purchasing a street key to allow me to shut the water off at the curb if a disaster struck. I’ll probably also get a silcock key that I could use to get water at a business in an emergency. Gas – I know they make specific tools for gas shutoff, but what cheaper alternatives would you suggest? I suppose I could use an old crescent wrench, but interested in other ideas. Electricity – I have a 4-pole breaker to shut off the power to the house. From the outside, I suppose I could pull the meter head.I also have labels for all of the shutoff valves throughout the house (mostly in the basement).
Do you know how to shut your utilities off? Do others in your household know?
Read MoreHow do I care for potted apple seedling during the upcoming winter?
Olly Wright - September 17, 2021 I have a 3-4 month old, 5-6 inch tall, apple seedling that I started growing from an apple I ate, and am worried on what to do with this little guy during the upcoming winter. I live in a 5b growing zone if that helps.
Here are the options I’m thinking about:
Should I plant it in the dirt outside and let it do it’s best to survive? Store it in a garage that isn’t as hot as inside my house, but not as cold as it would be outside. The garage doesn’t have any light however. But if it loses it’s leaves for the winter, it probably doesn’t need light. Bring it inside my house and keep near a sunny window. This may be too warm for it and not put it into a dormant state. Make a small DIY greenhouse around it outside and try and insulate the pot as much as possible with bubble wrap.I’ve read that apple trees need to go into a dormant state during the winter, so I’m thinking it needs to be cold so it can lose it’s leaves, but not too cold that the roots freeze.
Do I still water it during the winter like I have been during the summer?
This is the first apple tree that I’ve taken cared of, and I don’t know much about how to make them happy. Any other tips would be greatly appreciated! Teach me how to raise this.
Then just for fun, here’s some pictures of it over the past few months.
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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?
Read MorePreprogramming 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 MoreBack 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 MoreWhat 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 MoreLooking 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 MoreThoughts on Blue Can Emergency Drinking Water?
CamilleContributor - September 6, 2021 I was doing some research on how to safely store a supply of emergency water in my vehicle. I am moving to a more tropical climate to start graduate school and temperatures there can climb quite high for the majority of the year, and because it’s a hurricane/flood zone it’s important to have a supply of emergency water in the vehicle in case I need to evacuate.
I have read through the Best Emergency Water Storage Containers for Your Home article by The Prepared team and I think it’s very well researched, but I have concerns about using the home storage containers recommended (which are plastic) for months at a time in the incredibly high temperatures found in a car in the tropics. Even though it may not be super dangerous to my health to be drinking water stored in plastic at high temperatures for a long period of time in an emergency scenario, I’d still like to avoid it, and I worry about the plastic warping in the heat and losing it’s integrity. I was also looking for a method of water storage that was easy to grab and drink while driving, no pouring out of a larger, potentially heavy and bulky container required.
I found Blue Can Premium Emergency Drinking Water on Amazon. It basically looks like a pack of aluminum soda cans, except they are filled with water that the Blue Can company claims has a shelf life of 50 years. Reviews on Amazon are quite mixed. It’s about $2 a can after tax and shipping. Does anyone have any experiences (good or bad) with using Blue Can Emergency Drinking Water in their preps?
Read MoreAnyone have any experience with heated clothing?
pnwsarahContributor - September 5, 2021 Hi TP friends,
After Oregon’s snow/ice storms and multi-day power this past winter, my partner and I realized we needed to get serious about the implications of living in an on-grid, all-electric house in the event of a prolonged power outage during cold weather. We’re not stoked on generators for several reasons (Most prominent: We don’t want to have to store all that fuel; we don’t want to spend a ton of money on something we will be far less likely to need when we inevitably move), and we’ve been thinking about heated clothing as an alternative. My two main questions are: (1) “What brands are good quality?” (i.e., function reliably; won’t set us on fire), and (2) the more fundamental, “Is this even a good idea?”
Before you take a stab at (2), some context:
We live in western Oregon. It doesn’t get that cold. When it does get seriously cold, it doesn’t stay that way for long. We’re avid outdoorspersons. We have multiple sleeping bags, multiple down comforters, multiple down jackets, two tents, and a LOT of fleece and wool blankets and clothing. We can always heat water on a camping stove in the backyard for tea and hot water bottles. We also have a husky mix, who doubles as an XL, living hot water bottle. For all these reasons, I am very confident in our ability to create a space in our home where we can sleep comfortably on a cold night without heat. While I am confident in our ability to create a warm bed/blanket fort for ourselves in our house in winter without heat, I do not want to actually LIVE in said bed/blanket fort for the duration of a power outage. That would suck. We have friends who lived in a shipping container for two western Oregon winters while they were building their house. One of them bought a heated jacket to get through it. That’s where we got this possibly stupid idea. Both friends are, however, very much alive as of this writing.So… thoughts? Experiences? Alternatives? Brand reccos?
Thanks in advance…
Read More🏠 Home buying with preparedness in mind
Lowell - August 25, 2021 Put yourself in my shoes. You’re currently renting, but eventually want to buy a home for the sake of financial and physical security? What traits do you look for in the home itself?
My general thinking is we’re heading towards some sort of climate apocalypse (and maybe with some broad state repression too). Not soon, but perhaps decades down the road, which is very pertinent to me as a twenty something.
Here’s some examples I can think of, but I’m very curious to hear what y’all have to recommend!
Roof conducive to solar panels. Ideally South-facing and in a shape that’s easy to cover in panels. A basement, for passive insulation during heatwaves, among other reasons I’m sure. A location with multiple exit routes, so like not an island (like Mercer Island in Seattle) or the tip of a peninsula (like Alki in Seattle). I figure a standalone house is ideal, rather than a condo or townhouse. Perhaps some minimum distance between the home and property line on all sides. Elevation above sea level, and perhaps even relative elevation to avoid flooding. Read MoreHow to connect with farmers that are selling to people, not restaurants?
Conrad B - August 24, 2021 Trying to kill two birds with one stone. I’m seeing the effects of meat shortages in my area so I’m going to try and get more stocked in my freezer. And I’ve read in other forums about people sourcing meat from ranchers who ordinarily sell to restaurants but are starting to sell to regular people to make ends meet.
Has anyone done this? And what kinds of prices are the farmers charging / is it cheaper than stores?
I admit I’ve never had to think much about where to get food before and don’t know how that all works.
Read More♨️ How much cooking fuel for 2 weeks?
Lowell - August 18, 2021 Having 2 weeks of food & water at home is a basic preparedness tenet.
If the grid is out while I’m going through these reserves, I’d need enough fuel for my Jetboil to boil all the water for my emergency food supply.
Based on my calculations, a single 450g canister ($10) would be enough to boil all the water I’d need for my partner and I to eat 14 days of Mountain House meals. Does that sound right to y’all? Have I made an error in my calculations?
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Wildfire preparedness and mindset – How to evacuate quickly, safely
wildfireexpert - August 17, 2021 In July 2018, I wrote two articles for an online news magazine, “East County Magazine”: “PEACE OF MIND” 3-10 MINUTE EVACUATION PLAN FOR WILDFIRES PART 1, and “PEACE OF MIND” 3-10-MINUTE EVACUATION PLAN FOR WILDFIRES PART 2
Thirteen months later, much of the “Peace of Mind” I’d written about in Wildfires Part 2, was greatly reduced when I received a Non-Renewal Notice from my insurance company. I was, however, able to obtain government mandated insurance of last-resort for homes in areas prone to wildfires via the California Fair Plan insurance. (Twice as much money, and much less coverage.)
Expensive or not, insurance is critical to your peace-of-mind if you live in a wildfire-prone area. On the news, you’ll see distraught people after every fire saying “We’ve lost everything!” In my opinion, there are two categories of importance: stuff and people. Stuff can be replaced, people cannot.
The mindset of the importance of Stuff and People needs to be considered BEFORE a catastrophic loss. Nothing is worth the life of a family member or friend who stayed too long to protect Stuff from burning. In the 2003 Cedars wildfire in California, 15 people lost their lives. In the 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County in California, 88 people lost their lives.
The information learned since I wrote those articles in July 2018 is the same. To distill the articles:
DO NOT WAIT FOR ANYONE TO TELL YOU TO EVACUATE–LEAVE EARLY!
People on theprepared.com have a different mindset about catastrophic events. The definition of preparedness is “a state of readiness, especially for ___________”(fill in the blanks). In this case, it’s wildfire.
If there is a possibility of wildfire near you, fill your car with gas, park it next to your front door pointed out in the direction of travel, review your exit roads (use the Paper Map of the area you bought earlier). Take the hour or so to pre-pack the car. Then DO NOT WAIT FOR ANYONE TO TELL YOU TO EVACUATE–LEAVE EARLY. It may cost a family $200 to $300 for a hotel room and about 2 hours work to pack and unpack if no fire reaches your home. Money and time well spent.
I could spend hours providing specific information about wildfire dynamics, insurance in urban-interface areas, and the many, many reasons why you need to leave early. However, if you follow the advice provided in Wildfires Part 1 and 2, AND if you pre-prepare your mindset and that of your family to leave everything behind and drive to safety–you’ll be ready.
I have completely evacuated three times and been ready to leave about 5 times. My home only burned down once.
Read MoreGamifying preparedness for children
Matt Black - August 13, 2021 I recently went on a binge and ordered a bunch of materials from FEMA via Ready.gov. I plan to distribute the printed materials to loved ones, family, and neighbors. I’m also making moves toward my own CERT certification and I’m simultaneously refreshing First Aid training, so, I view these materials as a refresher to my own preparedness.
Among these materials, I ordered Ready 2 Help – a card game geared toward developing skills in younger ones when facing a crisis or disaster.
Of course, since this is geared toward children, they’re not going to be presented with the sort of gruesome, SHTF stuff that you or I might consider, but this will get that essential part of the brain thinking. And thinking is an important skill! I’ll spare you anything seeming like a hard sell and will just push on with the images so you can decide for yourself. Links after the break.
Ready 2 Help Playing Card Deck
Players are presented with an EMERGENCY scenario.
Each player responds by throwing appropriate skill cards at the scenario. There are 5 types of skills cards (4 shown here). Each is color coded to help players learn what skills are appropriate to the scenario.
Game play also includes Wild Cards and Work Together Cards to enhance game play and build cooperation.
Oh, and there are a lot of EMERGENCY (scenario) cards.
FEMA also produces a companion book to the card game.
______________________________________
You can find Ready 2 Help on Ready.gov’s order page:
https://orders.gpo.gov/icpd/ICPD.aspx
or
https://community.fema.gov/game_download?lang=en_US
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N95/NIOSH mask sizing for women?
Ryan - August 12, 2021 Hello all, having a bit of trouble finding small/women’s sizing for N95/NIOSH masks and was wondering if anyone could point me towards the right product? Currently sitting on a couple of boxes of 3M 8210 masks, which fit me (male), but which don’t fit my wife (e.g. she can still smell odor through it). Did some searching on the website and Google, but haven’t found anything concrete, mostly KN95s in pastel colors. Unfortunately, half-face/full-face respirators won’t fit the bill for this particular need, as she can’t wear them at her work (school). Thanks!
Read MoreHow to harvest amaranth seeds
Josh CentersContributor - August 9, 2021 If you’re growing amaranth in your garden this year, you might be wondering how the heck to harvest the grains. Our pal David the Good published a video on how to harvest them.
Read MoreEmergency toilet – bedside commode chair
Bigwig - August 6, 2021 While I’ve seen a number of options for an emergency toilet, I’ve never seen using a bedside commode chair. An image of one is in the link below:
https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/productImages/1000/02/02ba2a43-32b9-4632-9ab9-bab8c459ec3a_1000.jpg
Most affordable options are a bucket with a toilet seat. I would think the advantages are:
More comfortable – as it is purpose-built. It also has a frame and handles to make it more stable for the user. Cost-effective – the cost is not much more than a 5 gallon bucket and a bucket-specific toilet seat. Portable – can be folded up.Any thoughts on why a bedside commode chair is not being recommended? What are the downsides?
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