Bigwig - Member - The Prepared

Discussions

Documenting Important Information – Big Book Of Everything

Posted 1 month ago

Reply to: (Official discussion) How to prepare for and survive hurricanes Posted August 19, 2023

As an alternative to sand bags for flood protection, I purchased some water-activated expanding barriers. They come in sandbag size as well as other lengths. They were significantly discounted at the time. Not sure how well they work, and I understand it takes months for them to dry out, but it’s much lighter than sandbags and better than getting flooded out. I did find some at my local Home Depot. Flood Bags Flood Barriers

New Source For Bug-Out Bag Items – Career Fairs

Posted August 8, 2023

Reply to: Smoke hoods etc Posted August 3, 2023

I bought a few of these because they were so cheap. Haven’t tried them yet. Fire Evacuation Mask

Documentary: A Refuge of Last Resort (about Hurricane Katrina)

Posted July 15, 2023

Reply to: Estate Planning – real life notes on why you should do it now Posted July 6, 2023

I think people avoid this because it reminds them of their own mortality. I have some in-laws that are in their 80’s and they don’t even want to talk about it. It seems to be a cultural thing here in the US.

Reply to: Boil water alert – Washing your hands Posted May 15, 2023

Hi, Swansot. I also have several liquid laundry containers with the bulb and spigot. I use it for non-potable water. Are you able to get the detergent out? I’m not sure that laundry detergent is good to use for your hands. Plus, you have to hold the bulb with one of your hands.

Reply to: Boil water alert – Washing your hands Posted May 10, 2023

I ended up buying these water containers with a spigot. You can adjust the flow and they are light enough for anyone to carry around. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09XKC18RV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Reply to: Fogotten Items for BOB Posted May 10, 2023

Never seen this contraption before. Thanks.

Reply to: Fogotten Items for BOB Posted May 8, 2023

Do you have a link to what one looks like?

Reply to: Fogotten Items for BOB Posted May 8, 2023

Interesting. I’ve heard of the cooling neck fans (I have 2) but not a cooling vest.

Fogotten Items for BOB

Posted May 6, 2023

Reply to: Survival movies Posted April 2, 2023

Definitely one of the rawer movies of the bunch.

Reply to: Survival movies Posted April 2, 2023

Just watched Blackout, a 2013 UK docudrama about what might happen during a one-week power outage. A mix of the usual characters with footage shot with a home-made feel.

Reply to: CERT Training Posted April 2, 2023

Our local CERT meets regularly for class training and events for CERT members to volunteer. They make an effort to bring the team together with activities after training exercises like a BBQ lunch. I bowed out after they wanted me to sign a form with some rather troubling language.

How often do you run your portable generator?

AdviceGear 2

Posted April 2, 2023

Reply to: Best survival movies Posted March 2, 2023

Just watched a 2016 Japanese movie called ‘Survival Family’ about a worldwide outage of all things electric and a family that travels cross-country to find the wife’s father. No zombies or gun battles but some real-life struggles and adventures. It’s interesting to see another culture’s take on how the apocalypse will unfold. Everyone seems a bit too respectful of each other. It can be watched on YouTube at https://youtu.be/OGk5pI6hfEc .

Reply to: Survival movies Posted March 2, 2023

You can see other picks from theprepared at https://theprepared.com/prepping-basics/reviews/movies/. I actually liked No Blade Of Grass. I can see a lot of the scenarios really occurring during a crisis. Just watched a 2016 Japanese movie called ‘Survival Family’ about a worldwide outage of all things electric and a family that travels cross-country to find the wife’s father. No zombies or gun battles but some real-life struggles and adventures. It’s interesting to see another culture’s take on how the apocalypse will unfold. Everyone seems a bit too respectful of each other. It can be watched on YouTube at https://youtu.be/OGk5pI6hfEc .

Reply to: An observation on prepping in 2022 Posted December 3, 2022

Don’t worry. Like Y2K, it will be forgotten in a few years. That’s just the way we Americans are.

Reply to: Teach me about life insurance Posted December 3, 2022

Long-term care insurance is really a challenge these days. The industry underestimated how many people would claim long term care benefits. As a result, many companies have gotten out of the business and the few that remain offer policies that are unaffordable to most people. I was fortunate enough to get long-term care coverage earlier in my life. Most people laughed at me for getting it so young. They are not laughing now.

Documenting Important Information – Big Book Of Everything

Posted 1 month ago

New Source For Bug-Out Bag Items – Career Fairs

Posted August 8, 2023

Documentary: A Refuge of Last Resort (about Hurricane Katrina)

Posted July 15, 2023

Fogotten Items for BOB

Posted May 6, 2023

How often do you run your portable generator?

AdviceGear 2

Posted April 2, 2023

Looking for recommendations on an air mattress

Posted November 15, 2022

An idea for another safety tool at the drive-up ATM?

Scenarios 4

Posted November 13, 2022

Boil water alert – Washing your hands

GearScenarios 21

Posted August 29, 2022

Opinions on fire escape hoods?

Gear 3

Posted August 2, 2022

Request for gear review – Gloves

Gear 14

Posted December 31, 2021

Reply to: (Official discussion) How to prepare for and survive hurricanes Posted August 19, 2023

Reply to: Smoke hoods etc Posted August 3, 2023

I bought a few of these because they were so cheap. Haven’t tried them yet. Fire Evacuation Mask

Reply to: Estate Planning – real life notes on why you should do it now Posted July 6, 2023

Reply to: Boil water alert – Washing your hands Posted May 15, 2023

Reply to: Boil water alert – Washing your hands Posted May 10, 2023

Reply to: Fogotten Items for BOB Posted May 10, 2023

Never seen this contraption before. Thanks.

Reply to: Fogotten Items for BOB Posted May 8, 2023

Do you have a link to what one looks like?

Reply to: Fogotten Items for BOB Posted May 8, 2023

Interesting. I’ve heard of the cooling neck fans (I have 2) but not a cooling vest.

Reply to: Survival movies Posted April 2, 2023

Definitely one of the rawer movies of the bunch.

Reply to: Survival movies Posted April 2, 2023

Just watched Blackout, a 2013 UK docudrama about what might happen during a one-week power outage. A mix of the usual characters with footage shot with a home-made feel.

Reply to: CERT Training Posted April 2, 2023

Reply to: Best survival movies Posted March 2, 2023

Reply to: Survival movies Posted March 2, 2023

Reply to: An observation on prepping in 2022 Posted December 3, 2022

Don’t worry. Like Y2K, it will be forgotten in a few years. That’s just the way we Americans are.

Reply to: Teach me about life insurance Posted December 3, 2022

I am not an insurance specialist. However, there are a few key points I would like to make about life insurance. Life insurance is not needed if there is no income to replace. One of the main reasons to have life insurance is to replace income. If there is no income to replace, you may not need insurance. The amount of insurance needed is usually more than people think. For example, $1,000,000 worth of life insurance sounds like a lot. However, if you use the 4% rule, you should only spend $40,000 per year. This may be adequate for some people, but I know it would not be enough for me. Think of it like an escrow account whose investments need to generate enough income to last your lifetime.

Reply to: What was the catalyst that compelled you to begin prepping? Posted November 22, 2022

I was watching a news program when a story came on about a family who was asked to pretend an emergency occurred and they had only 15 minutes to pack. It wasn’t so much what they took but what they left, like food for the dog and their cell phones (this was before smartphones). It started me thinking what I would have done in that situation and I didn’t have a good answer. Now I do.

Reply to: Looking for recommendations on an air mattress Posted November 16, 2022

Wow, that is quite a tribute about an airbed. I’m going to have to look into Exped Megamat.

Reply to: An idea for another safety tool at the drive-up ATM? Posted November 13, 2022

Yes, It could definitely be problematic while you are trying to finish your transaction.

Reply to: Hikers caught in a wildfire Posted September 17, 2022

I just watched Fire in Paradise on Nexflix and was going to post a question around preparations for wildfires.