I have water storage, back up power, and food all handled. Some of the basic medical stuff is also handled along with coms. So what do you guys think I should turn my attention to next? What am I missing or what should I expand on?
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I have water storage, back up power, and food all handled. Some of the basic medical stuff is also handled along with coms. So what do you guys think I should turn my attention to next? What am I missing or what should I expand on?
Personal skill sets. The more skills you have command of, the less you need to stock because you can do more, with less.
Over the years, I've come to realize that financial stability is probably the number one thing to work on with regard to preparation. There is zero point in stocking up on, anything really, if you are still making credit card payments on, anything really. I think you're pretty squared away financially, but if I could go back 10 years and start all over again, that's where I change how I view prepping and survival.
Training.. Training.. Training..
Irving, Yeah, only debt is wife's car and house.
Asmo, I took a rifle class last year and plan to take a pistol and another rifle class this year. I'd like to take 1-2 courses per year. I've also joined Ben Lomond so I can have a better environment to go work on the skills I learn in class.
Dave, look into doing some sort of competitive shooting. Nothing works out your gun skills like regular matches.
Go turn the breaker off on the house for a day. Learn to work without a lot of your power stuff. We haven't had power for most of the night, but we are running off a 1k watt generator. Its a change, but we have done it several times before. Cooking on the wood stove, running water is out so we are using bottled water and a 6 gallon can. The generator is running the tv for the kids and one fan to circulate heat from the wood stove.Itb is about 28 degrees outside, but 75 in the house.
Yeah, I need to start looking into that stuff, Irving. Going to order a shot timer too. Without data, you can't improve.
In addition to training, skills, etc., how's your fitness?
It used to be much better. Im by no means fat but I really need to get back into a routine. Ive been trying but haven't gotten into a routine which is a must when trying to gain fitness.Quote:
Originally Posted by funkymonkey1111
If you have a smartphone, there are several free shot timer apps.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave_L
im taking the HAM technician test next week, growing veggies in the garden, canning a few of them. Expand your skill set; think manufacturing/building/repair/create. Knowing how to shoot a bad guy is great, so it knowing how to sew, do basic repairs, etc.
Depends on your plans. A few ideas:
Bug out: Take a day (weekend?) to practice some primitive survival skills - head into the woods and build a shelter, practice building fires (if safe and legal to do so in that area) practice making traps and snares. Practice using the tools in your kit. Test out all your gear. Can you really hoof it 10 miles with that 40lb backpack and a rifle? Does your vehicle have the right care/tools/supplies to help you bug out? properly inflated full size spare? extra food and water? warm clothes? jumper cables and tool kits? We practice and train in order to identify the gaps before we need to actually cross the bridge.
Bug in (it sounds like this is your plan... and I think this should be everyone's primary focus): Does your plan for heating the house really work as well as you thought it would? What about your plumbing/bathroom/sanitation situation? Are you prepared for broken windows? Do you have supplies to reinforce doors, cover windows, and secure your home? What about defense of home/street/neighborhood? How about non-SHTF home defense? Have you already taken good measures to make your house less of a target and more secure? Do you have duct tape, plastic, appropriate masks, tarps, etc? Are you prepared to stay in your house for several days completely sealed off from the outside?
Any situation: Good gun training is always applicable. Medical training and knowledge is never a waste. Having good organization and a written plan will go a long ways. Is your family prepared for bad situations too?
That covers a lot of things... many of which you've probably already done or considered - But hopefully if those suggestions don't apply to you, someone here can benefit from them.
I bought a 29ft 1979 motorhome on a P30 chassis. 68 k miles. Lil over 3 K$. So far I have put on a new Holley carb with manual choke on the engine, 454 GM big block. Turbo 475 3 speed auto trans. 4 wheel discs Hydroboost brakes on 19.5 tires. New shocks, changed the oil and trans fluid. I'm gonna add a giant trans cooler. Bought a new custom made radiator. It is going to get some headers from Hooker, I bought two sets and will probably go with the ceramic coating set.
Generator runs flawless. Fuel tanks hold 130 gallons of gas. Means the generator will run about 130 hours. Or 1000 mile range. Changed all the interior lights to LED bulbs. I am going to add a solar panel or two and some deep cell batteries. Brand new spare distributor, and I have a few spare alternators. If anything happens to the house, I can still stay here. I have a 250 gallon propane tank I own, with a wet leg.
I think when I am done, I will have about 8 grand into it. Most of the modifications were bought from ebay. The hardest part will be designing and installing the small wood stove. All I need now is to buy some waterfront property in the mountains to bug out to...
Attachment 65149
Need to paint that thing like light yellowish green over green! I love stripes! :-)
I got some "earth tone yellow" CARC(chemical agent resistant coating), think desert storm tan! I just found another roof leak today, the entire body and roof are made of sandwich of thin aluminum and styrofoam two inch thick. As soon as the weather clears up, I am going to fiberglass the entire roof in woven roving and two part marine grade epoxy. That is the about the only way for a permanent cure. The front body and rear are already made of fiberglass.Quote:
Originally Posted by hunterhawk
Now THAT is a grand thing. I can't believe how low the mileage is!Quote:
Originally Posted by BushMasterBoy
The original owners were probably too embarrassed to drive it anywhere.
Now it just needs a cow catcher and some body armor. [Coffee]Quote:
Originally Posted by BushMasterBoy
Once you got the bug out vehicle or second hideaway residence covered, I would think (NBC) nuclear, biological and chemical protection. Do you have gas masks? I mean really good grade gas masks such as M40 or MCU2P with extra filters. Get the canteens you can drink out of with the mask. We are in a good location to procure high grade military gas masks as they show up in yard sales and thrift stores. Do not buy a M17! They are a last resort only! I also recommend a geiger detector. I bought the Gamma Scout model. I bought a broken one off of ebay and sent it in for repair calibration, cost me $260 total, runs constantly- battery lasts ten years. Sucks to eat food or drink contaminated from radioactive fallout. Or breathe it in. My father died from exposure to radioactive material weapons accident. Took 40 years then suddenly he had multiple myeloma.
Get all the vaccinations. When the SHTF the medical system will be overloaded. Do you have a recent tetanus shot?
Do you have a water distiller? Radionuclides will get through your water filter system. I don't even trust reverse osmosis. It would probably take filtering, reverse osmosis and distillation to get it really clean. I don't have a reverse osmosis system. Still lots of stuff to buy...
http://purewaterfreedom.com/filter-radiation
http://www.enlistment.us/field-manua...handbook.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M17_gas_mask
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M40_Field_Protective_Mask
http://www.gammascout.com/
lots of good info in this thread so far.
IMHO, the other stuff to think about is: Good alcohol, for trading medical and just to relax.
Precious metals, gold and silver, trading and purchasing goods.
Herbs and spices, they can make a turd taste good.
Copies of ALL important documents on a flash drive and maybe even a couple hard copies on waterproof paper.
AMMO, AMMO and more AMMO, used when you have to get ugly to support and feed your family. Can also be used for trading.
I am no where near ready, but my health would prevent me from doing anything outside my home.
HTH
Roger
This is awesome advice IMHO and we are working on being debt free, besides the house and one vehicle, by August. After August, we'll make double or triple payments on the one vehicle and get that done. Then it's just the house and we pay cash for everything.Quote:
Originally Posted by Irving
Debt is financial slavery.
Thanks guys. I definitely have some things to work on this summer now. Appreciate all the input.
Bingo, Bingo, Bingo.Quote:
Originally Posted by HoneyBadger
Im lucky that I get paid to do this stuff but most people have a ton of Gucci gear but never fucking use it. I'm not going to lie, I'm a water snob, I don't drink tap water and I prefer Smart and Fiji water. Recently, I was in a situation for 4 weeks where I had to drink out of streams and poor water sources. I had a small filter but our go to for speed and efficiency was iodine tables, after 25 gals you get use to the taste. The real lesson learned was identifying quality water sources( sandy bottom with a swift current; not always common in NC) and how to forage enough water for you group. When was the last time you live under the stars without a sleeping bag?
My exs sister would always ask me why I wanted to go out into the wilderness and pretend to be a bum; and truly most people don't like being pushed outside the comfort zone.
Great job, and I would just practice/apply your skills in the wild.
Not all people can utilize iodine for water purification. Some people with fish allergies may be or are susceptible to an allergic reaction. I know 1 guy (first hand) who is and really jammed up his preps .Quote:
Originally Posted by RonMexico
Shellfish allergies and iodine allergies are not mutually inclusive. Fyi
I only use iodine as a last resort. I hate the stuff. Try sometime to get a kid to drink it.
Then dose the iodine treated water with 50mg vitamin c per qt/liter and watch the reaction.
If I had time I would boil then filter my water, but I don't mind Iodine tasting pond scum.
sand, sand, charcoal, UV light bulb OR.................. sunlight.Quote:
Originally Posted by RonMexico
Last time I went hiking in Colorado, I only brought a LifeStraw with me. Worked great, but the obvious downside is that you can't filter water for storage... I turned into a camel and drank as much as I could whenever I could. Not ideal, but it worked. Anyway, we've got several threads already dedicated to water purification, but this goes back to practicing with what you have.