Reality check on preparedness

[NoGreaterLove]

I just finished repacking our 72 hour kits. It got me thinking. I wonder how many people are actually ready on this forum both spiritually and temporally.

[Original_Intent]

For me, being ready to evacuate within 5 minutes is a very small part of overall preparedness. We could easily "bug out" with five minutes notice from home.

I'm also "pretty good" on the year's supply. I am sure there are things that I am short of, but I am pretty sure we could make it a year.

The place I am weak is in the ongoing production department. I have a small garden but it really needs to be expanded. We definitely are not at the level that we could produce much of what we need on an ongoing basis.

[NoGreaterLove]

I think I have this one down. If we need to evacuate from home or work or school, we have everything in three separate backpacks and can head out on a minutes notice.

[SmallFarm]

I think I'm physically prepared but not metally prepared if the situation is to where I wouldn't know if I'd return. I know it's silly but I'd have I hard time leaving behind my trees

[singyourwayhome]

I think we're ready- grab & go with those eight backpacks full. Clothes might be a little tight for the kids, but I'm not willing to update that many, more than once a year. It would be harder to get the kids together in five minutes than to get the 'stuff', I think.

Chances are that we won't need the packs here, but it's likely that my hubby would need the one under his desk at work. He works in a multi-level building in a high-risk-for-liquefaction zone... the plan is to pick himself up off the now-sideways cubicle walls (you knew they were padded for some reason! ), climb out of the now-sideways office building, and walk the 12 miles home, rather than trying to drive down Bangerter Highway.

Our food storage at home is 18-24 months' worth, depending on which food, and if you're counting the 300 lbs grains/yr number, or 400 lbs/yr. Our garden is big, and I've started eating more of the 'volunteer greens' (weeds) in my yard....

[singyourwayhome]

I think I'm physically prepared but not metally prepared if the situation is to where I wouldn't know if I'd return. I know it's silly but I'd have I hard time leaving behind my trees

I hear you. Fortunately (?) we've practice that one a couple times. We built a house on an acre cow pasture in Cache Valley, manually put in a park-sized sprinkler system, planted dozens of shade trees, a dozen fruit trees, berry bushes, and thousands of flowers. Oh, plus a 'shop'- a 16x24 building with power, water, electricity. We moved away when DH's company moved. I consider that my 'Nauvoo' experience. We were there 7 years, and left just as the fruit trees were starting to produce and the shade trees could shade more than one person at a time. It was hard to leave dear friends, but, honestly, it was harder to leave the yard. We moved to another house with nothing in the yard, repeated the sprinklers/trees/garden/flowerbeds routine, and moved AGAIN two years in. (Worth noting: 2 years' growing time in the Salt Lake Valley gave us the same-sized trees as 7 in Cache Valley!)

And this second move was to downsize, on purpose, though our family was still growing, in order to better obey President Hinckley's admonitions to have a 'modest' home and get out of debt. (The house was/is our only debt.) That was a refining experience, as well.

And yes, we moved to another house (definite fixer-upper) without trees, garden, or bushes. Been here three years, and everything's starting to be GLORIOUS again. We sliced up our first-ever plum from our yard, today, to let everyone have a taste. Still, I've developed more of a 'stewardship' attitude toward what we plant and grow- that I try to do the best I can, wherever the Lord puts me.

[JerL]

Why do we have to bug out for a brief period of time? I can see for an extended period of time or shelter in place. I can not concoct a situation where I would only need to be gone for a couple of days to a week.

[singyourwayhome]

Most situations won't require 'bugging out', but a few could. For instance, fire or flood in your house- you'll want to be able to grab and go if there's time. More realistic is the bag DH has at work- he has a long walk home if/when something happens.

The 72-hr kit is just one more form of 'insurance'.

[NoGreaterLove]

Why do we have to bug out for a brief period of time? I can see for an extended period of time or shelter in place. I can not concoct a situation where I would only need to be gone for a couple of days to a week.

In the event of a nuclear attack two things mean survival. Time and shelter. I other words, the more time that passes away after the attack, the less severe the radiation. It reduces quickly. I would have to look up the particulars, but after 3 days it is safe to go out for 10 minutes or so a day, after 7 days a few hours, and after three weeks you can be out most of the day. Please do not quote me on this. I am just going off my memory.

The next thing is shelter. Something to minimized the exposure. Two things will do this. Distance or density. Either you go so far away that the radiation does not effect you or you shelter in place and place objects that create density between you and the radiation. The greater the density, the greater the protection.

So, you get a warning that a nuke is headed your way. You may decide to obtain distance. If that is so, you will not have time to pack. Grab the kits and off you go.

The next item would be a chemical attack. I have experienced working in a situation where a chemical cloud was floating in one large mass from a spill. We had to evacuate whole neighborhoods at a time immediately.

Another one is a flue pandemic. You may want to evacuate a town where a sickness is prevalent. In this case time is of the essence.

What if we are invaded by the good old U.S. military or a foreign force? I want to be able to head to the mountains in a moments notice if needed and be able to survive for at least a week.

I am sure we can think of many more scenarios.

[NoGreaterLove]

I thought of another one. Lets say a mob is going through your neighborhood and raping the women, taking the food and killing the men. You have decided the mob is too large to fight and you need to leave. You may have to walk away from this one with backpacks on.

Something to consider with a 72 hour kit is this. You will PROBABLY have to carry it on your backs. Why? Because the roads will be so jammed with cars that you will be at a stop. So either you leave in a car and get a little ways down the road and have to stop because of a broken down vehicle, traffic accident, violence or other issue, and then have to leave your vehicle and go at it on foot, or you just start walking from your house.

This is something that I hope everyone considers when preparing your 72 hour kit. An EMP will knock out your mode of transportation. Better to be prepared to walk. If your kit is in you RV or trailer, it better be in backpacks. You likely will need them.

[believer]

Evacuations happen fairly often now days because of fires, chemical spills , gas leaks, hurricanes, etc. If the people of New Orleans in the Super Dome and other places had had 72 hour kits, the situation would have been much improved.

A few years ago, there was a fire on the mountain about where Springville and Provo, Utah come together. Where I worked, there was a lady who lived in that area. She got a phone call saying that they were evacuating the street next to hers, and her street was next. She had to leave work immediately.

My grandchildren have to take a small bag of non-perishable food to school at the beginning of the school year in case there is a lock down, so that they will have something to eat. If they haven't used it at the end of the year, they have a party, and eat their goodies.

Two or three years ago, there was a terrible snow storm. As the school buses were trying to leave a school in Lehi, it was determined that it was too dangerous, and the children had to stay at school over night.

We never know exactly what will happen. Better to be prepared.


Believer

[Nan]

We have decided that our house is our bug out place. There isn't another place to bug out too. I don't think bugging out is going to happen like a lot of people here do. I think that as things continue towards the second coming, it will seem natural. Like the prophecy that manufacturing will stop in the USA. Well most manufacturing has stopped. And it wasn't by some big event.

[Geeswell]

NGL, i don't fit into any of those categories.

i fit into:

oh snap, I really WANT to be prepared, but I don't have any money!

but seriously, we are trying, and medical bills have just now stopped coming, so we can start paying them off.....

[singyourwayhome]

Geeswell,

If you're really trying, I suspect you are probably more prepared than a large number of church members, lack of money notwithstanding! For instance, you probably at least have water in reserve in pop bottles or old juice containers, which is more than at least 50% of the 'established' families in my ward. You know that when you prayerfully work at it, ways are opened. I can tell from your other posts.

[Geeswell]

Geeswell,

If you're really trying, I suspect you are probably more prepared than a large number of church members, lack of money notwithstanding! For instance, you probably at least have water in reserve in pop bottles or old juice containers, which is more than at least 50% of the 'established' families in my ward. You know that when you prayerfully work at it, ways are opened. I can tell from your other posts.

yah we have some water set aside for sure! I'm very fortunate to have parents who know how to can and pack, and who actually do it. I think we may start canning again soon. It's just a matter of setting aside time to sit and do these things. so many don't do it (i think) simply because it is unknown territory for them. I'm actually excited to learn it. I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the process growing up, but I do know some of it since I helped. whether i liked it or not, my folks knew it was important for the seed to be planted.

[kathyn]

I'm very fortunate to have parents who know how to can and pack, and who actually do it. I think we may start canning again soon

The internet is a great tool to use to learn how to can and even pressure can. There are so many sites that have techniques and information. And it's free!

I would advise everyone who intends to can, at some point, to get a supply of extra lids since you can reuse the rings and the bottles, but not the lids. And you need a good supply of sugar...for use in canning fruit.

[Henmasher]

I'm very fortunate to have parents who know how to can and pack, and who actually do it. I think we may start canning again soon

The internet is a great tool to use to learn how to can and even pressure can. There are so many sites that have techniques and information. And it's free!

I would advise everyone who intends to can, at some point, to get a supply of extra lids since you can reuse the rings and the bottles, but not the lids. And you need a good supply of sugar...for use in canning fruit.

I would also recommend wax. Another way to get it done while the world turns upside down

[singyourwayhome]

Also practice making ghee, so you have some shelf-stable butter.

That stuff is addictive, too....

[Henmasher]

Also practice making ghee, so you have some shelf-stable butter.

That stuff is addictive, too....

Ok I thought you were joking but the stuff checks out
Is that a good staple to have anyway in the closet while also learning to make it?
Or would butter powder be the way to go?
Is there a lot of taste difference between the two?
Look out here the questions come now

[singyourwayhome]

Ghee is much better than butter powder. Butter powder is good for flavor, but it doesn't give you the structure and consistency you expect.

The flavor of ghee... like I said, it's addictive!... the original source of the word "butterscotch" was "butterscorch". No kidding. (Just add brown sugar....)
No, it's not sweet on its own. It also doesn't burn over high heat (regular butter does), so you can use it to brown and saute foods.

It's a GREAT thing to have on hand- I like to keep a jar of it in my 'cooking cupboard' right next to the stove.

[haddomr]

would advise everyone who intends to can, at some point, to get a supply of extra lids since you can reuse the rings and the bottles, but not the lids.

Actually lids can be reused. You have to inspect them for defects. If you couldn't get lids, you would reuse the old ones. Keep it in mind as a back-up plan.

[singyourwayhome]

Have you done this? It makes me a little nervous.
What have you learned about when NOT to reuse one?

[haddomr]

Have you done this? It makes me a little nervous.
What have you learned about when NOT to reuse one?

My wife has successfully done it. She said that she looks at the seal and if there is any nicks or defects she doesn't use them. She says it is reliable if you inspect them. If when the lid was pulled off, it pulled a little of the rubber off, she doesn't re-use them. Others in her family re-use them and told her about it.

[Geeswell]

i imagine that you would know if they were re useable or not, if they popped up after being canned, right?

I'm very fortunate to have parents who know how to can and pack, and who actually do it. I think we may start canning again soon

The internet is a great tool to use to learn how to can and even pressure can. There are so many sites that have techniques and information. And it's free!

I would advise everyone who intends to can, at some point, to get a supply of extra lids since you can reuse the rings and the bottles, but not the lids. And you need a good supply of sugar...for use in canning fruit.

great idea! thanks, Kathyn I used the internet for everything else... surprised i didn't think of that...

I'm very fortunate to have parents who know how to can and pack, and who actually do it. I think we may start canning again soon

The internet is a great tool to use to learn how to can and even pressure can. There are so many sites that have techniques and information. And it's free!

I would advise everyone who intends to can, at some point, to get a supply of extra lids since you can reuse the rings and the bottles, but not the lids. And you need a good supply of sugar...for use in canning fruit.

I would also recommend wax. Another way to get it done while the world turns upside down

WAX? i'd like to know more about that...sounds...odd. yet interesting!

Also practice making ghee, so you have some shelf-stable butter.

That stuff is addictive, too....

I'll look that up when I get the time later, sounds interesting.

my question for all is this: Is this stuff actually healthy? Or are we not really supposed to be finicky about eating healthy in such a situation? (obviously). I would imagine that a lot of canning probably would take a lot of the food value away, right?

example: adding amounts of sugar to everything you can? sounds dangerous!

thanks for the discussion all, very good stuff here

[singyourwayhome]

[quote:Geeswell] my question for all is this: Is this stuff actually healthy? Or are we not really supposed to be finicky about eating healthy in such a situation? (obviously). I would imagine that a lot of canning probably would take a lot of the food value away, right? [quote]

I think it's a matter of using different preservation methods. You don't have to can everything; for instance, you can do a lot with root-cellaring, even if you don't have a root cellar. I kept some winter squash in a dark room in the basement (a 'real room', not even an unfinished section of the basement) all winter last year. There's actually one spaghetti squash still in there, and it's fine. I even tried it with a monster zucchini-an 18-incher that had stayed hidden until the final harvest (uprooting plants). It gradually lost most of its green color, fading to a creamy yellow, but it cooked up just the same! It was stored there for about six months. The USU Extension website has tons of information on gardening, including lists of how to store vegetables/fruits- different ones prefer different temperatures and humidities. They'll still store in less-than-ideal conditions, just not for as long.

Drying food retains more nutrients and takes less space to store. For instance, 6 quart's worth of tomatoes will store in ONE quart jar if you run the dried slices through the blender to make powder. Use the powder in anything you'd use tomatoes in - I use it, with a little water, for tomato paste, or with a little more water for tomato sauce. Or stir some into soups or chili for a tomato base. I even dried zucchini this way, this year, to use in zucchini bread and soups. (HA! Invisible vegetable for my picky eaters!)

So yes, I bottle a lot of things, but I also dry a lot of things and root-cellar others.

Consider getting a good book for different types:
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits ... by Mike and Nancy Bubel, is the 'bible' of root cellaring (there are many ways included in the book; you don't even need a basement)

Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning ... is AWESOME. It's subheading is "Traditional techniques using salt, oil, sugar, alcohol, vinegar, drying, cold storage, and lactic fermentation.

But if this info is overwhelming, just pick one thing you can handle for now.