Besides Pulp for TP...
Apparently the container shortage is
affecting delivery of Coffee Beans from Brazil....

Yes, that is a disaster for a lot of people....

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Sunday, August 07, 2022 - 06:54 pm: Edit

In an unexpected situation, you will have with you what you carry every day. The best thing there is skills, since TSA cannot take them away. Learn first aid, land navigation, how to build a fire. Carrying a few small items like a multi-tool, is good unless something like TSA says you cannot take it. You can easily assemble a "get home bag" with food, water (in a steel container that is only half full), and a few supplies and keep it in your car. I will leave the question of carrying a firearm to the individual but depending on the situation it will probably give you a major advantage, but only if you are skilled with it. And of course you must have a legal permit.

I am a firm believer that every American needs to spend a bit of time in Boy Scouts (which takes girls now), the wilderness, and the military. Watch a few survival videos on youtube, buy a couple of small survival items, keep a working flashlight and a piece of paracord with you.

The single best thing you can do is walk 4,000 steps a day to get in minimal shape and have enough canned food in your home to last your family at least three days. (You also need water which can be stored in bottles or you can just buy cans of fruit juice or something.) I wouldn't waste money on supposedly 99-year freeze-dried food. You have to cook it, often mix it with water that could be hard to get, and canned food will last longer than you will. Don't forget a can opener and a spoon.

By Joseph Jackson (Bonneville) on Monday, August 08, 2022 - 10:20 am: Edit

My in-laws are from NYC. They often joke that I wouldn't last 5 minutes in a New York subway. That may be true.
I took them camping a couple of years ago. They didn't last 5 minutes before we broke out the first aid kit. And within an hour I had to go find one of them who got lost.
So I guess I have to go to New York and test my boy scout training in the subway.
Anybody want to take odds?

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Monday, August 08, 2022 - 11:05 am: Edit

I wonder...

One of the stereotypes of the New York Subway system is that everyone is paying attention to little beyond their cell phones. Makes me wonder whether it would be possible to use this... Fact? As a way to camoflage oneself.

Here's the basic idea...

Carefully snap a picture of the subway map, then use that as a guide. Sure, you might look like an "Out-of-Towner" when taking the photo, BUT aside from that, having ones nose stuck on the cell phone looks "Native" enough...

By Douglas Lampert (Dlampert) on Monday, August 08, 2022 - 11:34 am: Edit

I've always found the subway easy to use.

Boston Metro is more confusing, and it's still pretty easy to use.

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Monday, August 08, 2022 - 12:52 pm: Edit

I've always found the subway easy to use.

Been decades, but Atlanta and Dallas airports were monster mazes.....
Las Vegas in 2010 just a bit less....

By Mike Erickson (Mike_Erickson) on Monday, August 08, 2022 - 03:05 pm: Edit

>> Boston Metro

Locals call it the T!

--Mike

By Joseph Jackson (Bonneville) on Monday, August 08, 2022 - 04:20 pm: Edit

On those lines of survival: Don't forget the little things. 20 bucks got me a spare pilot light element for my furnace. Two cold weekends were enough to teach me that. Might have learned it in one but not that smart.

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Monday, August 08, 2022 - 04:39 pm: Edit

The Boston Metro...

Does anyone else here remember the folk song, "MTA?"

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Monday, August 08, 2022 - 04:39 pm: Edit

Agree with all points made by SVC.

I saw a show a few years back that America was suffering more from its own food supply than any outside force citing heart attacks and diabetes as the physical damage to the population and the economic damage to the country itself.

They then got into civilian readiness stating while most americans had a weapon in their home they lacked three things to be a consistent and long term threat against an invading force.

1 was the basic concept of survival and the skills that come from practicing them
2 was fitness level and the ability to walk long distances and run short distances, much less climb over anything.
3 was that weapon, many folks have not used it, are awkward handling it, and even when pressed to using it could not be effective with it (wasting ammo with horrible accuracy)

Essentially the message coincided:
Learn about Survival and practice.
Learn about your weapon and practice.
Get out there and get into shape.

By Michael F Guntly (Ares) on Tuesday, August 09, 2022 - 10:12 am: Edit

SVC,
Any additional suggestions for the old man () who, due to previous hip replacement, can only walk distances utilizing his rolling walker? Said device is excellent on paved surfaces but has various degrees of difficulty in snow, sand, turf, gravel, unimproved nature paths (with or without obstacles).

Note: When on improved surfaces, 10 miles in a day would not be a problem (with no time constraint), based on current overall health.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, August 09, 2022 - 01:56 pm: Edit

I assume every house has blankets already and that if you start a fire in the middle of the den you will have the sense to open a window a couple of inches.

Apocalypse on a walker sounds like a good idea for a unique movie but I suspect anyone on a walker just isn't going to survive the apocalypse. Beyond that, but in the much more likely type of disaster that you would really face I would suggest a plan to shelter in place and wait for rescue.

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Tuesday, August 09, 2022 - 02:22 pm: Edit

Apocalypse Texas Ranger: Walker w/ a walker hunting walkers.

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Tuesday, August 09, 2022 - 03:56 pm: Edit

I think Chuck Norris might appreciate that one; he is, after all, one heck of a nice guy with a great sense of humor.

I mean, on a personal note, after I lost my job with the Kitt Peak Solar Observatory (I was the technician on duty who had to report it when the sun blinked during its staredown with Chuck Norris back in the `80's), Chuck Norris was able to line me up for my next gig as a trauma counsellor for the Grim Reaper after his near-Chuck Norris experience.

()

By Jeff Guthridge (Jeff_Guthridge) on Tuesday, August 09, 2022 - 04:34 pm: Edit

I'm seeing some very good advice here. Here's my addition:

Mob-psychology 101: In the event of a perceived SHTF event, truth will not matter at first. Maybe not second either.

I remember when Johnny Carson innocently induced a national toilet paper shortage complete with panic buying and hording from a joke that a fraction of American adult late-night television watchers saw. It took the better part of a month for the stores to recover. Anyone remember the issues Hawaii had with a false-alarm EAS activation that warned that the doomsday salvo of nukes were in flight? It was a very religious half hour for the islands I'm told.

Best to do a little thinking-ahead and a little bit of prepairing in the hopes that you will be around to laugh about feeling foolish when an all-clear sounds from a mistake, rather than joining the mob and getting trampled in the mad dash for the last bog roll, gallon of milk, or loaf of white bread.

By Steven Zamboni (Szamboni) on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 - 12:56 am: Edit

My area seems to be particularly vulnerable to perceived events. I added sandbags to the prep list after the last kerfuffle, and there is no way going outside just for groceries until things quiet down.

By Joseph Jackson (Bonneville) on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 - 10:18 pm: Edit

August wanes. September approaches. I've taken heed of the sagacious advice herein.
I stopped by Tractor Supply on my way home today, and bought a Mr. Heater: Big Buddy propane heater. I have a case of propane cannisters I bought a few years back for my lantern and stove. So now I can see, eat, and be warm while the propane lasts.

By Jeff Guthridge (Jeff_Guthridge) on Thursday, August 11, 2022 - 10:04 am: Edit

Those Mr. Heater units are fairly nice for a number of reasons, but are just as apt to cause issues in areas of poor ventilation. Also, make sure you plan for ventilation of the storage area for the propane bottles. While initial seals are usually really solid, if you ever connect then disconnect a bottle, it introduces a tendency to leak slowly.

I've used this sort of heater for years in camping and provided you have a good healthy respect for ventilation, they are a safe choice. The pilot-light aspect of the units is part of that. They are safer than the catalytic heaters because its easier to see at a glance if the gas is moving and burning. I've heard of more than one poor soul that was using a catalytic, thought it stayed lit and succumbed to uncombusted fuel displacing the oxygen in a tent or car.

Mr. Heater offers an adapter hose that allows you to use the heater with a 20lb propane BBQ tank. Not a bad option either to be honest.

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Thursday, August 11, 2022 - 11:14 am: Edit

Live 5 miles or so out of town in a NC Mountain County... Had a woodstove since the house was built..Have several coleman cookstoves that just need cleaning up...

Been getting ads on facebook for mobile solar generators (basically batteries)...

Now just need an electric chainsaw...

Birdfeeder attracts enough squirrels if that becomes a necessity, plenty of rabbits in the area...
Occasional Whitetail wanders into the yard...

Yes, qualified on weapons and have plenty of ammo...

By Joseph Jackson (Bonneville) on Thursday, August 11, 2022 - 04:17 pm: Edit

If bird feeders attract squirrels, do squirrel feeders attract birds?
I considered the 15 or 20 gal tank for my heater. Might get the hose just in case. Got a propane grill. It would make sense to have as many interchangeable uses as possible.
How much is plenty? I find I never have enough.