Practical Prepping

"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley) 03/11/2020 at 11:47 • Filed to: None

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In !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , there was some discussion around emergency kits or “prepping” if you wanted to call it that. I posted my Emergency Kit(s) and someone asked me to post a more detailed list. If you have ideas/input or criticisms, I’d love to hear them.

I wasn’t going to write this, but the shelves at the grocery store this morning were decimated of TP and other items.

Obviously, there is a lot of digital ink out there on the interwebs about prepping, so I will keep this pretty short on the topic as a whole. My advice? Don’t prep. Just have an emergency kit for a few days.

The most likely disasters for people in life are usually the most boring. Housefires, storms, localized flooding, or car accidents in remote areas. In Metro Vancouver (and Seattle) we also run the risk of a major earthquake. I know it is very exciting to pretend you’re preparing for nuclear war, the plague or some other apocalypse, but people tend to not realize the peril they face on a day to day basis.

My work experience really shaped my being prepared. There are lots of scenarios where your life could be turned upside down and there be no safety net. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ? There’s no insurance coverage for that, you’re now homeless and have no insurance.

I’ve seen lots of people’s homes burn down and, regardless of coverage, there isn’t much that can be done if you find yourself and your family without a home, food, clothing or belongings at 2am 3 days before Christmas.

So, without further this is what I have in my kit. It is all stored in a waterproof (drybag) backpack.

2 litre water bottle

Lifestraw

Water purification tablets

4 packs of Datrex rations (about a week of food for 2 people)

N95 masks

3 first aid kits

2 ponchos

2 blankets

4 light sticks

Utility belt

Gerber machete (for forest/brush)

Gerber Ghoststrike

Gerber paraframe

Flint/steel

Rain jacket

Rain pants

Hat

Additionally, there are some products/things I’d like to draw attention to. My favorite thing in the kit is my Helio which offers over 700 hours of light, solar charging and provides external power. I also have an Eton Scorpion II which has a radio, solar charging, hand crank charging and can provide external power.

The most important thing though? A Kingston Datatraveler (DTLPG3) which is an encrypted USB that holds copies of important receipts, health records, insurance documents, titles to my cars and home as well as scanned copies of my federal and provincial ID. In the event of a fire/disaster, you lose all your important documents and your computers. This, in my opinion, is CRITICAL to your post incident recovery.

If you’re looking for a deal, I found a lot of this stuff subsidised by the Canadian Red Cross.

In addition to my bag, the Kia carries protective boots (steel toe/waterproof/shockproof), a respirator, more N95 masks, gloves, booties, black trash bags, a shovel, coveralls another first aid kit and some other misc. safety gear.

TLDR: Make yourself an emergency kit, plan for shitty things in life.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 11:58

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You forgot the firearms and  39,000 rounds of ammunition. 

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Snuze: Needs another Swede 03/11/2020 at 12:00

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Canada takes a pretty dim view of that kinda thing. Also, I live in a suburb of the most liberal province. I don't need an AR15 to ward off my 50 year old neighbour Barb.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:11

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You might if she turns into a zombie!

I’m just amused by the people whose idea of “prepardness” is “I got a gun and a case of bottled water, bring on the apocalypse! ” You’ve posted about your emergency kit on a few occasions now and I always find it insightful and immensely practical, especially given your background and experience.

And thanks for the make/model of the USB. I was actually talking about this with my wife last night and we agreed we needed to do better. About 30 minutes later we got a call from our neighbor that another neighbor had been killed in a motorcycle accident. We talked about him, his family, and some other stuff for a while, and eventually circled back around to the conclusion that we’d both be really struggling if something happened to the other person. I mean obviously for a lot of reasons, but in particular we only have fragmentary knowledge of the other persons particulars like locations of vital documents, insurance policies, etc.

JustAnotherG6 > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:12

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A friend of a friend who teaches survival will often go over how to start a fire with no tools or a flint & steel but when asked what he uses it’s a basic bic lighter. His backup is another bic lighter. His 3rd backup? Yup, a bic lighter.

No point really, just semi related to the whole bug out bag business.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Snuze: Needs another Swede 03/11/2020 at 12:14

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That’s an overreaction. 500 rounds per weapon should be sufficient.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > JustAnotherG6 03/11/2020 at 12:14

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I actually have a bic lighter as well.  I should have probably mentioned.  The flint is really just a backup.  Works well though! 

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Snuze: Needs another Swede 03/11/2020 at 12:18

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My wife works with a lot of sudden death cases like you described. It is 100% something that we have planned for and I think everyone should.

Life is random and while it can seem you’re insulated/well protected, shit happens every day.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:18

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How about cash? Got any of that in reserve in readily spendable denominations? ($5s, $10s, $20s)

My emergency preparedness stuff is geared around holing up in the house since getting out of the Bay Area in a major event would be impossible. And where would you even go?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/11/2020 at 12:20

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Yeah, two rolls of toonies (2x $50 of $2 coins). About $200 on top of that in bills.

My kit was designed for a walk home. If something happened, I figured I could just suit up for the conditions, ditch the kia and start walking. I was never more than an 8 hour walk home away typically.

Chariotoflove > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:21

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I like the USB stick idea. We have a fire proof lock  box where all of our can’t afford to lose stuff is.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Chariotoflove 03/11/2020 at 12:22

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Yeah, we have our passports and stuff in a firebox too. But, if your house is condemned or in a pile, that’s gonna be hard to get to.

Keep the USB in your car.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:22

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The toonies are an interesting choice. The cash is a hard thing to keep lying around dormant. May I suggest an edit and adding the cash to your prep list?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:23

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Being Risk Dude, you ought to know about this stuff.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/11/2020 at 12:24

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I like the toonies because it would allow me to have near exact change? To be honest, I just had them on hand already rolled

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:25

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There was an earthquake a number of years back and a co-worker was on the BART train in the Transbay Tunnel on his way home and the train stopped and everybody got off the train, but someone had determined that they were still closer to the SF end of the tunnel and made them walk back to SF. I’d be like, “Shoot me or arrest me, but I’m going home . Goodbye.” I’d have led an insurrection. Made for TV drama. But seriously: I would’ve.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:29

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That works. I was just thinking about weight. We keep plenty of cash on hand in the safe. I’m kind of obsessive about being prepared in many areas because it makes me feel clever, frankly, when I’m prepared and rather than mock the late coming TP buyers, I look forward to smugly wiping my arse when others can’t because they weren’t prepared. Yeah, that’s messed up on some levels, but I am trying to be honest with both of us.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:29

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How’s that job search progressing?

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:30

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You are well prepared, far more than I am for a given emergency.

Although I did give pause  at the following:

gloves, booties, black trash bags, a shovel, coveralls

Are you being prepared or trying to dispose of a body? ;)

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/11/2020 at 12:32

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All done! I had 3 offers, selected the best one and am gainfully employed with a great firm

Snuze: Needs another Swede > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:33

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That’s got to be some difficult work that your wife does. But I think it makes sense to plan for and the wife and I are going to do a better job of it.

I do think your write up is great and really brings into focus just what it means to be prepared. Being ready for the apocalypse is meaningless if you’re not ready for something that is significantly more likely to happen.

Speaking of, what was the outcome of the landslide?  Is there any recourse for that? My house is on a relatively flat area, so landslide isn’t a risk for me. But, in terms of insurance coverage, is there anything I should be looking out for that may not be on my policy? 

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/11/2020 at 12:33

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What if I have 78 weapons?  Then by your estimate I’d need 39,000 rounds. 

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 03/11/2020 at 12:34

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You joke, but it is actually for biohazard work. When somebody dies or there is a traumatic event or whatever, that’s typically a covered loss. It isn’t the police or the family cleaning up the mess...

For Sweden > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:34

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That machete needs to be, like, at least a meter longer

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Snuze: Needs another Swede 03/11/2020 at 12:36

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“ Earth Movement” is typically not a covered loss. Usually there is some sort of relief fund via the Federal Government, but it wasn’t a good scenario

Brighammer > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:38

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You know, I feel like I’m prepared to be prepared, which is not really prepared. Like... I’ve got all the things I need. As long as I have my house and shop.

I need to realize my goal of having the SquatchBus ready as our bugout rig. If I had to hit the road with the family, I want it ready to go. Not have to pack it. Thanks for the sweet list, and kick i n the pants to finish the squatchbus project.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > For Sweden 03/11/2020 at 12:38

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So I look like an anime character?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:43

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Good on  you. Congrats. Public sector or private?

glemon > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:44

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I suppose I could Google it, but for those of us new to this kind of thing what is a Gerber ghoststrike, or Gerber Paraframe?  Does it have anything to do with flying or gliding to safety on an ultralight craft, because that would be cool.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/11/2020 at 12:45

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Private, I pulled out of the running for the public position. They pay was too low for what they wanted from me

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:45

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I like the USB idea and might have to go for it too.

My kit is similar if... less haha. I stocked up after the last round of flooding in Houston (not that I live there but...). Things that I included in mine but didn’t see in yours were:

High visibility dog leashes

AA batteries

Utility tool (multi-purpose tool for shutting off water and gas lines)

IP67 phone/device pouches

Paracord and carabeaners

waterproof notepad and pen

waterproof backpack

tape

cash

tarp

I think that is it anyway... I carry like 5-6 of the mylar blankets because they’re cheap and very handy. The thinking of mine is if a natural disaster hit (tornado, flooding, etc) what would I need to get somewhere safe or make where I am safe , keep tech going, keep humans and animals safe, and leave a sufficient breadcrumb trail for friends/family/first responders .

I don’t have the masks and water purification stuff, but I intend to add it eventually. I did buy a crank radio that could also charge phones but it turned out to be really, really bad so I returned it.  I also keep meaning to put an axe or other demolition tool in the basement... just in case.

Everything but the water and the utility tool is in a “grab and go” backpack on the basement landing.  I usually add a couple radios, flashlights, USB battery, etc when tornado season is upon us.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Snuze: Needs another Swede 03/11/2020 at 12:45

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And a U-haul truck to transport them all. Four weapons, 2,000 rounds, still a lot, particularly if any of them are rifles or shotguns.

Like I was telling Ft. Langley, I live in the Bay Area and getting out of here by road will be impossible if there’s ever a major event, so I am geared to hole up in my home.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > glemon 03/11/2020 at 12:46

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Paraframe is a lightweight folding pocket knife.  Ghoststrike is a lightweight fixed blade knife and sheath

For Sweden > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:47

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Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/11/2020 at 12:51

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Yeah hence 39,000 rounds... Basic math :-P

functionoverfashion > JustAnotherG6 03/11/2020 at 12:52

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It really is hard to beat a bic lighter, they are quite reliable and don’t care about getting wet so long as they don’t stay wet. 

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 12:57

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I really like the USB idea, I’m going to do that now. Confession, my important stuff file is terribly disorganized. I really need to get my shit together . I’m not too worried about being stranded in Montana but the thought terrifies me if I was in california on a business trip. I’d probably get a couple jerry cans of fuel and try to make a run for the border of nevada or oregon. 

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/11/2020 at 13:03

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What if all 78 are rifles AND shotguns... at the same time!? (yay Masterkey!) Also, w e’ve talked enough, you should know I’m being facetious. Mostly.

But I think your story above about getting out of the subway is really more in keeping with CoFL’s original post. That’s the stuff that’s really important. Having a huge cache of stuff for the apocalypse means nothing if you’re not ready for basic day to day emergencies that are far more likely.   I mentioned a story above, we found out last night my neighbor died in a motorcycle accident. One of the conclusions my wife and I came to is we need a better system to store documents and things because we’d both be screwed if something happened to the other as far as knowing where important paperwork like insurance was.  

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Snuze: Needs another Swede 03/11/2020 at 13:11

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I’m with you completely and I don’t mind you teasing about firearms. (They’re fun, but if you’re not trained to use them in situations , then they could be more hindrance than help.) And the kit in Ft. Langley’s trunk would be hard to carry on the BART train.

I think that it’s almost as important to think about these contingencies as it is to actually do something about them.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/11/2020 at 13:27

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if you’re not trained to use them in situations

You are 100% on point with this comment. My joke was more about people who hoard guns and ammo as if that equal preparedness, but you raise a really good point. There’s more to owning a firearm than just buying a gun and some bullets. You need to know how to safely store it, handle it, operating it, operate it under duress , identify and clear malfunctions, disassemble and clean it, service it, etc.

I think that it’s almost as important to think about these contingencies as it is to actually do something about them.

This is another key thing - understanding your situation and likely scenarios. There’s some overlap but there’s also some situation specific stuff. CoFL’s kit is great for what he does, but not practical for all of us. For me, preparing for flooding is mostly a waste of my time because it’s so unlikely given my geographic location . Similarly, preparing for a hurricane is probably a waste of your time.

I joke about the gun hoarding and “ zombie apocalypse” preppers because A) it’s silly and B) a lot of that prep work is so situation specific and ignores actual likely scenarios. That’s why I’ve been excited about the document stuff, because in any emergency scenario short of nuclear war and complete global collapse, it’s going to be important to have things like birth certificate, SSNs, insurance paperwork, car titles, etc. That’s a prepping step that can benefit everyone in virtually any situation.

TorqueToYield > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 13:42

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That’s great for a bug out bag but pretty useless gear for a pandemic where the biggest risk is being trapped at home.

Better would be something like a hurricane preparedness list plus more medical supplies like:   2 weeks of non-perishable food minimum , a stock of over the counter and prescription medication including anti-virals if you can find some black market, a good print out of how to treat viral infections at home ( http://drgcwoodson.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Good-Home-Treatment-of-Influenza.pdf )

Also if you plan to shelter at home and have a basement all you really need for nuclear preparedness on top of the standard stuff is a stock of plastic sheeting (thick garbage bags will do) and some duct tape.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 13:57

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I think we are reasonably well covered, except the encrypted USB. What are you using to encrypt it?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > BaconSandwich is tasty. 03/11/2020 at 14:30

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It has self contained encryption software

BaconSandwich is tasty. > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 14:58

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Ah, gotcha. 

Jason Spears > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 15:06

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Sunscreen, bug-repellent, animal repellent? Depends on your area probably.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Jason Spears 03/11/2020 at 15:07

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Yeah, and if your in Arizona, you can probably lose the rain gear

LastFirstMI is my name > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 15:22

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Just insult her brownie recipe (or take away her breakfast wine) and she’d rather starve than speak to you. Brutal, but if society collapses you do what you must 

LastFirstMI is my name > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 15:56

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Great list, thanks!

When I lived in a more politically unstable area, here are some practical things I added to my list:

Keep 2/3 tank of gas in the Yukon. It was the amount to drive to the nearest border crossing. Most disasters we would realistically have to deal with could include a few days of no gas at the pumps.

USB and also paper copies of passports and visas, in a fire proof safe at home , and backup copies in a backpack in the car. Also backup credit card in safe.

Cash- few hundred dollars in small bills, local currency and whatever the currency is across the border. Most in the safe, some in a travel belt that had an inner pocket for folded up bills.

Phone charging cords and a backup power source. You need ability to get news and communicate. I had a satellite phone too, but that is probably overkill in the US/Canada/Europe.

Family plan- where to meet if phones are down, etc... kids have phone numbers memorized, know which neighbor to go to, common sense stuff.

Most importantly- lots of insurance! This covers the real threats- disability, health crisis, death of a wage earner.... more likely to be helpful than a Rambo knife and some waterproof matches ;)

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > LastFirstMI is my name 03/11/2020 at 17:37

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Where did you live?

LastFirstMI is my name > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 17:55

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Saudi Arabia. Pretty safe (less street crime than the US to be honest), but there was always a little tension living someplace without a fair legal system and potential for political violence.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > LastFirstMI is my name 03/11/2020 at 18:24

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Was that oil, government or military based living?

LastFirstMI is my name > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 19:51

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Private industry (health care), but the university I worked for provided pretty thorough resources for emergencies (evacuation insurance, the satellite phone, connections at the embassy....) as part of the package.

Overall it was pretty easy living- the biggest risk was the daily commute. People drive like maniacs in the Middle East! Weekly I would pass a horrific crash with fatalities. That’s why I commuted in a Yukon XL- gas was 50 cents a gallon, and it was the biggest vehicle I could legally drive.

Why is the driving so crazy? My theory is that the society is so repressed, the ruling elite know they can’t control everything and choose to ignore traffic safety. I literally never saw a traffic patrol. Ever.  The drivers are mostly from Eastern Africa, Pakistan, or Bangladesh, and drive with no regard for the decorative lines and road signs. The fresh 4 and 6 lane highways facilitate 100 mph blasts; nobody blinks at driving against traffic, running red lights, passing on the shoulder- it is literally anarchy. But there is little to no street crime, so you could leave the keys in your car without a worry at all. 

thatsmr > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/11/2020 at 20:02

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Paper goods? Check. Full pantry? Check. Booze? Oh shit. I hope I can find some Wild Turkey! Alcohol kills 99.9% of germs, right?