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Stocking up for emergencies
Maybe this belongs in some survivalist newsgroup, but I figure I'm more
likely to get rational answers in the consumer-oriented newsgroups. In any event.... In case there is some major crisis, and power/water, etc., are not available for some time, I am trying to stock up on a few basic necessities. So, at this point, two main questions: 1. I've purchased some bottled water. I live in a condo, so I don't have a large space, no special refrigerator or freezer to store it in. (I'm talking enough water here to last for a week or two!) I'm just leaving it in the containers, tucked away under a table, away from sunlight. My question is, how long does bottled water stay okay? Months? Years? 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? Commends and suggestions are appreciated. FYI, I'm only aiming for a week or two supply. I figure if things aren't back in shape after that much time, we're all screwed anyway.... CJ |
Stocking up for emergencies
In article .com,
CJ wrote: 1. I've purchased some bottled water. I live in a condo, so I don't have a large space, no special refrigerator or freezer to store it in. (I'm talking enough water here to last for a week or two!) I'm just leaving it in the containers, tucked away under a table, away from sunlight. My question is, how long does bottled water stay okay? Months? Years? 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? Here is what the SF Chronicle recommends for earthquake preparedness: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...hive/ready.dtl Dimitri |
Stocking up for emergencies
CJ wrote:
.... My question is, how long does bottled water stay okay? Months? Years? They have expiration dates stamped on the bottles. They should be good up to that date. Typically this is years. I've found that the bottles don't have perfectly sealed caps though so, depending on where they are stored, they might turn a little skunky within months. I'd recommend rotating the stock every 6 months but that's just me. 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? You can buy small butane stoves for around $20. These are as close to no-brainer emergency stoves as I've ever found. Propane camp stoves are another alternative but are a little more complex. Emergency food would be any food that will keep without refrigeration or freezing. This means canned and dry food mostly. Only stock what you eat because you'll need to replace the food periodically and the best way to do that is to eat it and buy more. You might try learning how to cook basics like rice and beans. With the addition of a little seasoning and some misc other stuff you can eat pretty well. You should also stock some multi-vitamins in with your emergency supplies. It's cheap insurance against a slightly unhealthy diet for a short period of time. You might want to get vitamin C by itself as fresh fruit might be hard to come by in a total disaster. Anthony |
Stocking up for emergencies
CJ wrote:
Maybe this belongs in some survivalist newsgroup, but I figure I'm more likely to get rational answers in the consumer-oriented newsgroups. In any event.... In case there is some major crisis, and power/water, etc., are not available for some time, I am trying to stock up on a few basic necessities. So, at this point, two main questions: 1. I've purchased some bottled water. I live in a condo, so I don't have a large space, no special refrigerator or freezer to store it in. SNIP I wondered what to do for water storage, not just for drinking, but washing and toilet flushing as well. I was thinking in terms of a giant 50 Gal storage tank. Instead I built some shelves in the garage against one wall. All the way to the ceiling. Each time we are ready to discard yet another 1 Gallon plastic jug, it gets filled with tap water and goes on the shelf and not to the dump/recycle. If you're well-organized, you can even set up a FIFO replenishment scheme. g Jim |
Stocking up for emergencies
Anthony Matonak wrote:
CJ wrote: ... My question is, how long does bottled water stay okay? Months? Years? They have expiration dates stamped on the bottles. They should be good up to that date. Typically this is years. I've found that the bottles don't have perfectly sealed caps though so, depending on where they are stored, they might turn a little skunky within months. I'd recommend rotating the stock every 6 months but that's just me. 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? You can buy small butane stoves for around $20. These are as close to no-brainer emergency stoves as I've ever found. Propane camp stoves are another alternative but are a little more complex. Emergency food would be any food that will keep without refrigeration or freezing. This means canned and dry food mostly. Only stock what you eat because you'll need to replace the food periodically and the best way to do that is to eat it and buy more. You might try learning how to cook basics like rice and beans. With the addition of a little seasoning and some misc other stuff you can eat pretty well. You should also stock some multi-vitamins in with your emergency supplies. No need for just 1-2 weeks. It's cheap insurance against a slightly unhealthy diet for a short period of time. No big deal for just 1-2 weeks. You might want to get vitamin C by itself as fresh fruit might be hard to come by in a total disaster. No big deal for just 1-2 weeks. |
Stocking up for emergencies
Rod Speed wrote:
No big deal for just 1-2 weeks. Which happens to be the interval in your welfare payments, |
Stocking up for emergencies
"CJ" wrote:
Maybe this belongs in some survivalist newsgroup, but I figure I'm more likely to get rational answers in the consumer-oriented newsgroups. In any event.... In case there is some major crisis, and power/water, etc., are not available for some time, I am trying to stock up on a few basic necessities. So, at this point, two main questions: 1. I've purchased some bottled water. I live in a condo, so I don't have a large space, no special refrigerator or freezer to store it in. (I'm talking enough water here to last for a week or two!) I'm just leaving it in the containers, tucked away under a table, away from sunlight. My question is, how long does bottled water stay okay? Months? Years? If you live in a condo, the better solution is to leave the area before the distaster, or immediately after. Elevators might not work, toilets may not flush, etc.. The first week after a disaster is a PITA, and it is a great time for a vacation elsewhere. If you still plan on staying; As noted by another poster, there is an expiration date of bottled water. Distilled water will last indefinitely, but the plastic in the bottles won't. Leave the milk jug type containers of bottled water around for a few months and you'll probably have at least one leaker peeing on your shelves and floor. Transfer distilled water to 2 liter polycarbonate soda bottles for longer bottle life. 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? We keep a full pantry anyway. When Wilma took out the power for 11 days, we used a generator and batteries for power and kept the refrigerator going. It was three weeks or more before we bothered to go shopping. You'll want comfort food, with some of that high-calorie food. Chances are good that you'll be a lot more active during that period. Canned sodas, whatever you normally eat, and some boxed/canned foods, cookies, juices are some starters. If you plan on needing help, stock up on beer for the helpers just before the disaster. If you rotate the food in your pantry, just increase the amount you store. Commends and suggestions are appreciated. FYI, I'm only aiming for a week or two supply. I figure if things aren't back in shape after that much time, we're all screwed anyway.... Nah. We could go a couple of months if needed without skipping a meal. If you shop for the best food prices, you build up a larder and save money at the same time. Just remember that if you have a large stock of food and let people know, "friends" will come out of the woodwork after the disaster. Have some available for them -its only neighborly, but keep some hidden away for yourself so you don't get suckered into the same situation you are trying to avoid. The item you'll miss most is hot water. A single burner propane camp stove and a couple of small propane canisters are a safe way to heat a meal and some hot water for a sponge bath. CJ |
Stocking up for emergencies
On 23 Feb 2006 10:26:17 -0800, CJ wrote:
Maybe this belongs in some survivalist newsgroup, but I figure I'm more likely to get rational answers in the consumer-oriented newsgroups. In any event.... In case there is some major crisis, and power/water, etc., are not available for some time, I am trying to stock up on a few basic necessities. So, at this point, two main questions: 1. I've purchased some bottled water. I live in a condo, so I don't have a large space, no special refrigerator or freezer to store it in. (I'm talking enough water here to last for a week or two!) I'm just leaving it in the containers, tucked away under a table, away from sunlight. My question is, how long does bottled water stay okay? Months? Years? At least. Just rotate it out and replace the ones you use in daily life. 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? You can pick up a 12-meal case of MRE's on Ebay for about $60 or less. If you get the "real", government-spec ones, they include flameless heaters, as well. Each meal is something like 2500 calories or more, so they'll be more than enough to keep you going. They'll include an entree, seasonings, dessert, etc. The advantage of MRE's is that they're rated for up to 10 years when stored properly, and they're actually reasonably tasty, though I wouldn't want to live on them. ;-) My family rotates them out by using one or two every few months for hiking trips, etc. - Rich |
Stocking up for emergencies
Speedy Jim wrote: Each time we are ready to discard yet another 1 Gallon plastic jug, it gets filled with tap water and goes on the shelf and not to the dump/recycle. If you're well-organized, you can even set up a FIFO replenishment scheme. g I've done this, ten 1 gallon numbered jugs of water. Every week I use a couple to water potted plants, then refill them when done. A propane barbecue (to heat water) and a camping shower (2 gallon bag with nozzle) are also available. Still need to practice draining my water heater though. |
Stocking up for emergencies
Anthony Matonak wrote:
CJ wrote: ... My question is, how long does bottled water stay okay? Months? Years? They have expiration dates stamped on the bottles. They should be good up to that date. Typically this is years. I've found that the bottles don't have perfectly sealed caps though so, depending on where they are stored, they might turn a little skunky within months. I'd recommend rotating the stock every 6 months but that's just me. Seltzer water usually is cheaper than the bottled spring water, at least in the single sizes. Frequently safeway puts their seltzer water on sale at 6 twelve ounce cans for $.99. Th only thing that beats that is gallon "milk" jugs, and the plastic in those does not seem as durable. The can I just bought and finished has a 2007-01-29 date on the bottom, but I'm betting the carbonic acid would keep this can safe to drink for quite a few years beyond that. |
Stocking up for emergencies
"CJ" wrote in message
oups.com... Commends and suggestions are appreciated. FYI, I'm only aiming for a week or two supply. I figure if things aren't back in shape after that much time, we're all screwed anyway.... There was some discussion on Meet the Press about bird flu, and that if there ever was a pandemic outbreak in your area, it would be a good idea to be able to just stay home for 3 or 4 weeks and avoid exposure until it blows over. Presumably in that situation, there may still be services operating such as water, power, etc. and many things may still be functioning, but you would be better off if you had enough supplies and didn't have to leave your house. In such a situation, I wouldn't worry about being bored with what I had to eat. Don |
Stocking up for emergencies
CJ wrote:
Maybe this belongs in some survivalist newsgroup, but I figure I'm more likely to get rational answers in the consumer-oriented newsgroups. In any event.... In case there is some major crisis, and power/water, etc., are not available for some time, I am trying to stock up on a few basic necessities. So, at this point, two main questions: 1. I've purchased some bottled water. I live in a condo, so I don't have a large space, no special refrigerator or freezer to store it in. (I'm talking enough water here to last for a week or two!) I'm just leaving it in the containers, tucked away under a table, away from sunlight. My question is, how long does bottled water stay okay? Months? Years? 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? Commends and suggestions are appreciated. FYI, I'm only aiming for a week or two supply. I figure if things aren't back in shape after that much time, we're all screwed anyway.... CJ The mormons have reccomendations for just such scenario's. I don't know if they have a web site or not, but one of the local members gave me a photocopied hand out that had a whole range of options (eg. food & water-family of four- per month) |
Stocking up for emergencies
On Thu, 23 Feb 2006, D. Gerasimatos wrote:
In article .com, CJ wrote: 1. I've purchased some bottled water. I live in a condo, so I don't have a large space, no special refrigerator or freezer to store it in. (I'm talking enough water here to last for a week or two!) I'm just leaving it in the containers, tucked away under a table, away from sunlight. My question is, how long does bottled water stay okay? Months? Years? 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? Don't forget to stock up your guns and ammo too because in a real emergency you are going to need them. |
Stocking up for emergencies
Zuke wrote:
On Thu, 23 Feb 2006, D. Gerasimatos wrote: Don't forget to stock up your guns and ammo too because in a real emergency you are going to need them. Yep, in a real emergency you will probably be able to trade the gun for a can of soup. Andy |
Stocking up for emergencies
CJ wrote:
2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? Go out and buy a little camping stove that runs on white gas, and then stock up on things like pasta, bottled or canned marinara, mac and cheese in a box, rice, canned chile. Whatever you like to eat that doesn't require refrigeration. No point eating cold tuna, or other foods you don't particularly like, for two weeks just because the utilities went out. Eggs will easily keep two weeks without refrigeration. Same with margerine. Bread should keep. Cheese is fine for a couple weeks. Mayo keeps for a long time without refrigeration (just be sure to only put a clean spoon in it). No need to throw that stuff out just because the refrigerator dies. Andy |
Stocking up for emergencies
"CJ" wrote in message oups.com... Maybe this belongs in some survivalist newsgroup, but I figure I'm more likely to get rational answers in the consumer-oriented newsgroups. In any event.... In case there is some major crisis, and power/water, etc., are not available for some time, I am trying to stock up on a few basic necessities. So, at this point, two main questions: 1. I've purchased some bottled water. I live in a condo, so I don't have a large space, no special refrigerator or freezer to store it in. (I'm talking enough water here to last for a week or two!) I'm just leaving it in the containers, tucked away under a table, away from sunlight. My question is, how long does bottled water stay okay? Months? Years? 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? No heat or electricity? Are you in a climate where you won't freeze to death if the disaster comes in the middle of winter? If you're not, then maybe you need to consider a small kerosene heater and a few gallons of fuel - provided, of course, you have a safe place to store the fuel. I'd suggest getting something like cans of sterno so you can do some minor cooking type stuff - you can eat cold beans out of a can, but you'd probably prefer to eat them hot. As to what to get, I'd suggest canned food, and mostly basic stuff in small cans - one or two servings (no refrigeration after all). Beans, spam, tuna, stuff like canned ravioli, canned vegetables, canned fruit. Dry cereal, powdered milk. Coffee or tea. Something along the lines of Bisquick. At least some kinds of margarine keep a long time without refrigeration. Bread doesn't keep real well, but crackers do. So do many kinds of cheese. Cooking oil. Sugar and salt. Real honey keeps just about forever. Candles, or some kind of oil lamp, and lamp fuel. Matches or cigarette lighters. Dried fruit, like prunes, raisons or apricots. Fresh eggs ought to last a couple of weeks even without refrigeration. Potatoes and other root vegetables keep well, but many need to be cooked. For a treat, chocolate bars or hard candy. Don't forget, what goes in must also go out - toilet paper and whatever additional hygene products you may require. A couple of hefty books that you've always been meaning to read but never quite got around to. A bottle of aspirin. Soap. Disinfectant, band-aids. If your tastes run that way, some beer, wine, or more potent stuff. Tobacco if you indulge. Radio and batteries to run it. Ditto flashlight. If you take prescription meds, be sure to have enough on hand to get you through. Oh yeah, and money. Think of taking a week long camping trip, out in the woods somewhere, no recourse to a store. What would you need, what would you want? Maybe none of this stuff is on your list of favorites, but there's nothing like being hungry to make things taste great. If you're lucky enough to have a little warning, fill the bathtubs, sinks, and all the pots and pans you have with water from the tap - you can use it to drink, cook, sponge bath, and flush the toilet. Commends and suggestions are appreciated. FYI, I'm only aiming for a week or two supply. I figure if things aren't back in shape after that much time, we're all screwed anyway.... CJ |
Stocking up for emergencies
"Dottie" wrote:
Someone else I talked to said the small ones were too hard to start and not very good. Hard to start usually means bad gas. Make sure the gas is fresh, and keep a spray can of starting fluid (ether) or choke cleaner on hand. The 5KW generators allow you to run a room AC, and if you are adept enough, hot wire the heating element in a water heater. I would avoid 2 cycle generators on principle. It is also wise to figure that your generator may crap out, and have a backup for your backup. |
Stocking up for emergencies
In article .com,
CJ wrote: [ ... ] 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? [ ... ] Any of the heat-and-serve canned soups or stews are excellent for this situation--you don't have to heat them, that just improves the flavor. Cheese that is sealed in wax will keep a longer time than otherwise. Gary -- Gary Heston I don't need an iPod, I have an IQ. A worthwhile endeavour: http://www.thebrestcancersite.com/cg...jects/CTDSites |
Stocking up for emergencies
In article .com,
Andy wrote: CJ wrote: 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? Go out and buy a little camping stove that runs on white gas, and then stock up on things like pasta, bottled or canned marinara, mac and cheese in a box, rice, canned chile. Whatever you like to eat that doesn't require refrigeration. No point eating cold tuna, or other foods you don't particularly like, for two weeks just because the utilities went out. Make sure the mac-n-cheese you select doesn't require milk. Eggs will easily keep two weeks without refrigeration. Same with margerine. Bread should keep. Cheese is fine for a couple weeks. Mayo keeps for a long time without refrigeration (just be sure to only put a clean spoon in it). No need to throw that stuff out just because the refrigerator dies. Preparing a menu in advance would be a good idea. That way, you can ensure variety and not end up looking at a pile of stuff and saying "what do I fix now?". Gary -- Gary Heston I don't need an iPod, I have an IQ. A worthwhile endeavour: http://www.thebrestcancersite.com/cg...jects/CTDSites |
Stocking up for emergencies
In article .com,
Dottie wrote: I live in hurricane prone area and have to keep emergency stock during the summer. For those with generators - I have a question. Is it worth while to buy one of the less expensive generators? One woman I know bought one last year when there was a sales tax holiday and said Lowes and Home Depot had them for about $250. They were just powerful enough to run refrigerator and perhaps one or two lights. I would really love to know that I could keep the refrigerator going. Someone else I talked to said the small ones were too hard to start and not very good. The person who has the small one hasn't had to use it yet...we were lucky last year. Would love to hear from someone who has actual experience with small ones. Thanks. Add up your necessary loads--refrigerator, freezer, microwave, a few lights, small radio--and get a generator rated at least 25% higher than the total of those loads. 50% higher would be better. Like anything else, if you load a generator near its' limit, it's not going to last long. Be sure to plan for fuel storage. Gary -- Gary Heston I don't need an iPod, I have an IQ. A worthwhile endeavour: http://www.thebrestcancersite.com/cg...jects/CTDSites |
Stocking up for emergencies
Gary Heston wrote
Dottie wrote I live in hurricane prone area and have to keep emergency stock during the summer. For those with generators - I have a question. Is it worth while to buy one of the less expensive generators? One woman I know bought one last year when there was a sales tax holiday and said Lowes and Home Depot had them for about $250. They were just powerful enough to run refrigerator and perhaps one or two lights. I would really love to know that I could keep the refrigerator going. Someone else I talked to said the small ones were too hard to start and not very good. The person who has the small one hasn't had to use it yet...we were lucky last year. Would love to hear from someone who has actual experience with small ones. Add up your necessary loads--refrigerator, freezer, microwave, a few lights, small radio--and get a generator rated at least 25% higher than the total of those loads. 50% higher would be better. You dont necessarily need to run them all at once. No problem with leaving the fridge and the freezer to idle while you are cooking. And it makes more sense to cook with gas than a microwave in that situation. And the radio is irrelevant power use wise. Like anything else, if you load a generator near its' limit, it's not going to last long. Oh bull****. Be sure to plan for fuel storage. |
Stocking up for emergencies
In article .com,
Andy wrote: Zuke wrote: On Thu, 23 Feb 2006, D. Gerasimatos wrote: Don't forget to stock up your guns and ammo too because in a real emergency you are going to need them. Yep, in a real emergency you will probably be able to trade the gun for a can of soup. Probably not, but you can probably trade bullets for all kinds of things. Dimitri |
Stocking up for emergencies
Don K wrote: There was some discussion on Meet the Press about bird flu, and that if there ever was a pandemic outbreak in your area, it would be a good idea to be able to just stay home for 3 or 4 weeks and avoid exposure until it blows over. Presumably in that situation, there may still be services operating such as water, power, etc. and many things may still be functioning, but you would be better off if you had enough supplies and didn't have to leave your house. I don't know. Would you go to work at your job in the power station or the water treatment plant in the case of a bird flu pandemic? I suppose it depends on the fatality percentage... -- C |
Stocking up for emergencies
In article
. com, says... Don K wrote: There was some discussion on Meet the Press about bird flu, and that if there ever was a pandemic outbreak in your area, it would be a good idea to be able to just stay home for 3 or 4 weeks and avoid exposure until it blows over. Presumably in that situation, there may still be services operating such as water, power, etc. and many things may still be functioning, but you would be better off if you had enough supplies and didn't have to leave your house. I don't know. Would you go to work at your job in the power station or the water treatment plant in the case of a bird flu pandemic? I suppose it depends on the fatality percentage... I dunno, either... I suppose it depends on if *I* am likely to be *in* that fatality percentage. As opposed to a bunch of morons who just couldn't be bothered with having a few torches and bottles of water on hand. -- Want Freebies? http://www.TheFreeStuffList.com/ Check The Free Stuff List |
Stocking up for emergencies
In article ,
says... In article .com, Andy wrote: CJ wrote: 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? Go out and buy a little camping stove that runs on white gas, and then stock up on things like pasta, bottled or canned marinara, mac and cheese in a box, rice, canned chile. Whatever you like to eat that doesn't require refrigeration. No point eating cold tuna, or other foods you don't particularly like, for two weeks just because the utilities went out. Make sure the mac-n-cheese you select doesn't require milk. NO mac-cheese really requires milk. It may mention milk on the instructions on the side of the box, but that is really just a recommendation. When I was young, I ate literally hundreds of boxes of mac-cheese while violating the milk specification. If you are really picky, try adding some powdered milk. Or, on a frugal note, buy regular pasta in bulk, plus grated cheese and powdered milk. -- Want Freebies? http://www.TheFreeStuffList.com/ Check The Free Stuff List |
Stocking up for emergencies
In article
.com, says... I live in hurricane prone area and have to keep emergency stock during the summer. For those with generators - I have a question. Is it worth while to buy one of the less expensive generators? One woman I know bought one last year when there was a sales tax holiday and said Lowes and Home Depot had them for about $250. They were just powerful enough to run refrigerator and perhaps one or two lights. I would really love to know that I could keep the refrigerator going. Someone else I talked to said the small ones were too hard to start and not very good. The person who has the small one hasn't had to use it yet...we were lucky last year. That is a big issue right there. Do NOT wait until an emergency before you use these things. Test it out right now. Do a rehearsal. Then you can find and fix problems before you are in a crisis. That includes all disaster/emergency preps, like a small gas stove, and so forth. Also understand that, in an emergency, you may have to compromise, and might not be as comfortable or confident. And you may have to prioritise. If you have a limited supply of petrol, then you may have to choose between lights vs fridge. -- Want Freebies? http://www.TheFreeStuffList.com/ Check The Free Stuff List |
Stocking up for emergencies
In article ,
Antipodean Bucket Farmer wrote: I don't know. Would you go to work at your job in the power station or the water treatment plant in the case of a bird flu pandemic? I suppose it depends on the fatality percentage... I dunno, either... I suppose it depends on if *I* am likely to be *in* that fatality percentage There are certain jobs in society -- utilities, police, fire, medical, energy, and rail/truck transport that are actually important. You take a job like that, you should be ready to do it no matter what, period. Good rule of thumb: will looking out for number 1 cause someone else to die? If yes, then don't. Just my deeply considered superior opinion. ..max |
Stocking up for emergencies
|
Stocking up for emergencies
max wrote:
In article , Antipodean Bucket Farmer wrote: I don't know. Would you go to work at your job in the power station or the water treatment plant in the case of a bird flu pandemic? I suppose it depends on the fatality percentage... I dunno, either... I suppose it depends on if *I* am likely to be *in* that fatality percentage There are certain jobs in society -- utilities, police, fire, medical, energy, and rail/truck transport that are actually important. You take a job like that, you should be ready to do it no matter what, period. Never works like that in the real world. Good rule of thumb: Nope. will looking out for number 1 cause someone else to die? If yes, then don't. Just my deeply considered superior opinion. Pity it aint how the real world actually works. |
Stocking up for emergencies
"Andy" wrote in message oups.com... CJ wrote: 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? Go out and buy a little camping stove that runs on white gas, and then stock up on things like pasta, bottled or canned marinara, mac and cheese in a box, rice, canned chile. Whatever you like to eat that doesn't require refrigeration. No point eating cold tuna, or other foods you don't particularly like, for two weeks just because the utilities went out. Eggs will easily keep two weeks without refrigeration. Same with margerine. Bread should keep. Cheese is fine for a couple weeks. Mayo keeps for a long time without refrigeration (just be sure to only put a clean spoon in it). No need to throw that stuff out just because the refrigerator dies. when i worked in food service, i was told that mayo would keep at room temp as long as you didn't refrigerate it first. if you refrigerate it, it must be kept refrigerated. |
Stocking up for emergencies
On Thu, 23 Feb 2006 21:35:05 -0500, "Lou"
wrote: "CJ" wrote in message roups.com... Maybe this belongs in some survivalist newsgroup, but I figure I'm more likely to get rational answers in the consumer-oriented newsgroups. In any event.... In case there is some major crisis, and power/water, etc., are not available for some time, I am trying to stock up on a few basic necessities. So, at this point, two main questions: 1. I've purchased some bottled water. I live in a condo, so I don't have a large space, no special refrigerator or freezer to store it in. (I'm talking enough water here to last for a week or two!) I'm just leaving it in the containers, tucked away under a table, away from sunlight. My question is, how long does bottled water stay okay? Months? Years? 2. What would folks recommend as the best kind of food to stock up on that could keep a man adequately nourished for a couple of weeks, again with no heat or electricity available? Canned tuna? (I think I'd get sick of that pretty quickly.) Some kind of cereal? Trail mix? Other suggestions? No heat or electricity? Are you in a climate where you won't freeze to death if the disaster comes in the middle of winter? If you're not, then maybe you need to consider a small kerosene heater and a few gallons of fuel - provided, of course, you have a safe place to store the fuel. I'd suggest getting something like cans of sterno so you can do some minor cooking type stuff - you can eat cold beans out of a can, but you'd probably prefer to eat them hot. As to what to get, I'd suggest canned food, and mostly basic stuff in small cans - one or two servings (no refrigeration after all). Beans, spam, tuna, Don't forget a non-electric CAN OPENER for all those cans just in case. |
Stocking up for emergencies
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Stocking up for emergencies
Rod Speed wrote:tage...
Its much more complicated than that. And there is nothing to stop the monkeys running those plants from just holing up there till the death rate drops anyway. Welfare boy detests those who work. |
Stocking up for emergencies
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Stocking up for emergencies
"Dottie" wrote in message oups.com... Someone else I talked to said the small ones were too hard to start and not very good. The person who has the small one hasn't had to use it yet... You addressed the problem, and the solution in the same paragraph. Ever try to start a lawn mower / snowblower that hasn't been run in years and just "put away" in the shed? Very hard compared to one that's always running, or properly maintained. You're supposed to run up your genset once every month or so. Up to full operating temperature. Good for the engine, (and the generator?). If you know there's a storm coming, dig it out and fire it up beforehand, so you know it will work if you need it. Store it with fresh gas with stabil or the like added to the tank, and always use fresh gas (I try to rotate my lawnmower / snowblower stock, and dump the gas in the car every month or so.) Once I learned from my mistake with old gas in my snowblower, and I started adding stabil to the blower and the mower at the end of the season, they always start first pull the next season. These cheap gensets will have similar engines, and are likely as easy to start if treated properly. |
Stocking up for emergencies
We have a gas grill with burner that we can use for cooking and to heat
water for washing dishes. If we were in an emergency situation, we would skip the showers. Just want to be sure the refrigerator will be hooked up and perhaps some floor fans....to help circulate the air. We've got battery powered lights and small TV. But we learned we could get by on very little two years back. The houses across the street still had power and we were able to run extension cords over here for refrigerators. Sure was a blessing. We weren't in the path, but got mostly power outages. |
Stocking up for emergencies
In article .com,
"Dottie" wrote: We've got battery powered lights and small TV. But we learned we could get by on very little two years back. The houses across the street still had power and we were able to run extension cords over here for refrigerators. Sure was a blessing. We weren't in the path, but got mostly power outages. You are lucky to have such good neighbors. It was nice of them to share what they had (in this case, sharing power). A few years ago, a very strong but geographically very small storm ripped through the south metro area of Minneapolis. Most people in the cities were totally unaffected, other than some trees and limbs down. But for those people who were directly in the path, many had to wait up to two weeks to get power back. I could not imagine living for 2 weeks without power, not in the summer at least. I'd have to check into a motel just to get air conditioning. What this made me realize that if people in the 15th largest city in the US can go without power for 2 weeks, then if we turely had something major happen, we would be totally screwed. We would be on our own for at least a few weeks. Just like what happened in the hurricane areas this past two years. -john- -- ================================================== ==================== John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com ================================================== ==================== |
Stocking up for emergencies
"The Real Bev" wrote in message ... wrote: Speedy Jim wrote: Each time we are ready to discard yet another 1 Gallon plastic jug, it gets filled with tap water and goes on the shelf and not to the dump/recycle. If you're well-organized, you can even set up a FIFO replenishment scheme. g I've done this, ten 1 gallon numbered jugs of water. Every week I use a couple to water potted plants, then refill them when done. Assuming no plants to water or difficulty in carrying gallon jugs, what about putting a teaspoon of bleach into each bottle? Or half a teaspoon? way too much. http://www.doh.wa.gov/phepr/handbook/purify.htm |
Steps to select a generator 1/9
"Dottie" wrote in message ps.com... Would someone please tell me how to calculate how many appliances could be run at once on x size generator? Do I need to know how many watts the refrigerator uses or is it something else ... volts? And each fan? I suppose I should know this, but I don't. I am saving these answers in a Word file so I will know what to do when I need it later. Thanks. Generac Generators www.generac-portables.com http://www.generac-portables.com/generators/index.cfm Steps to select a generator: 1. Determine use Use Preferred Features Recreational Portable, Compact, Quiet for basic camping power. Minimal electrical 5500 / 4000EXL needs. Home / Emergency Reliable, Quiet, Enough power to run essential items, Long run time on a 5500 / 4000EXL tank of gasoline. In general, service life is not an issue. 7000EXL Contractor Commercial Quality Engine, Reliable, Long Running, Pro Features to 4000EXL /7000EXL handle the tough demands on the jobsite. 2. See selling features sheets usually found in store with the generators. 3. Determine the needed wattage and surge watts using the wattage worksheet (found in store with the generators). If you need to estimate the surge wattage of an item, use rated wattage x 2. If wattage/surge wattage needs come close to the max rated for the generator, it is strongly suggested that you get the next size up, especially if you've had to estimate. 4. Make sure you have the proper type outlets for what you want to run. 120/240V-30A outlet is needed to use an electric stove or dryer. 5. If you want to run electronic equipment, the 4000 and the 7000 both have auto voltage regulation. The 5500 does not. 6. Hardwired items (central htg/ac, hot water heater, furnace fan, and well pump are examples) cannot be run from a generator unless they have a power transfer system installed (available at www.generac-portables.com). If it doesn't have a plug, it's hardwired. 7. See the specifications sheet for side-by-side comparisons. 8. Understand the causes of hydro lock (too much oil); won't need to use the full quart of oil that comes with the generator. Keep extension cords to a max of 100ft and make sure the gauge is heavy enough. 9. Recommend the appropriate Power Transfer System to the home back-up user: a. reliability: heavy duty components; permanently mounted to your home by your electrician b. convenience: no need for multiple extension cords; faster power restoration; load manager and meters inside home to easily transfer power to where you want it. c. added safety: double insulation; prevents dangerous backfeed to utility lines; all-weather inlet box keeps connections dry. 10. Finally, make sure you have the basics: a. Heavy Duty "Contractor Grade" outdoor extension cords; strips; converters b. Gas can and gas c. Engine oil d. Flashlight and batteries e. Fuel stabilizer - to keep gas fresh f. Chain & lock to secure generator |
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