Prepping for "probably safe" idiots like me?
Posted by upnorth86@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 54 comments
So I've been looking at a fire safe document cabinet for important documents. But that's as far as my shit-hitting-the-fan preparation has gone (not even getting one yet, they are quite expensive tho).
I'm thinking about getting canned foods that doesn't need to be cooked to simplify things a bit. Other than that my mom gave me two 10 liter cans for water that I do have filled but have to empty and replace.
How long should people be prepared to be hunkered down? How long are you prepared?
I live in a country where guns aren't really a thing so I can't stockpile ammo or anything. I'm mostly concerned with supplies for myself and possibly helping neighbors. I have a gasoline car that's reliable as well.
hope-luminescence@reddit
The fundamental question is what are you prepping for.
There's a tendency to focus either on very common, routine disasters like severe weather (the recent hurricane in the USA was not routine), or for the end of the world as we know it.
What do you need to live, or live vaguely comfortably, for two weeks? Start by storing food and water for that time -- this at the very least gives you time to react to situations rather than being desperate immediately. You will want more than the absolute minimum of water. Also, have a way to purify water.
If you store a gas can (with stabilized gas), you'll have at least some ability to move around or evacuate if there is a gas shortage as well.
Don't worry about security in terms of *weapons* first off -- but consider the question of what you can do to make your home secure, to be safe against civil unrest, what you can do if there is some disruptive disaster and police are responding much less than usual or not at all.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
Just ordered a safe that is certified to withstand a fire for 60 minutes. Next I think I might just withdraw some cash to have on hand. Digital services being disrupted has actually happened a few times, so I think preparing for a more analog life is my priority for now.
hope-luminescence@reddit
Those are both good ideas. Also see about getting a backup of your computers and identity papers outside your home as well - safe deposit box?
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
I will probably just do a digital backup. It's just hard to pick a good and affordable one.
hope-luminescence@reddit
Several terabyte HDD in a safe deposit box, or family 's house elsewhere in country, has major advantages b
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
Those drives can still fail. A NAS is still local. Cloud storage is the only bakup that makes sense
hope-luminescence@reddit
That's just someone else's computer.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
And all of them are better at maintenance than me. I am not really aiming for off grid self sufficiency here 😉
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
Short term inconveniences I suppose. That almost never happen, so we don't get to practice much lol. We get power outages for a couple of hours sometimes but I have never experienced any kind of crisis in my life. Just seems like something I should know how to deal with as an adult really.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
Well, I've ordered a safe that I have been looking at for a long time that is also rated for 60 minutes of fire safety. About 300 usd/euro so there are cheaper options, but I wanted something for worst case where I can't just grab it and run. Should be enough for important papers as well as any cash I might want on hand. I've lived cash-less for years but I've realized that I want a couple of weeks if not a month worth of expenses in case of more DDoS attacks against retailers.
DecadesForgotten@reddit
I remember one of the first things I did was buy a fire safe doc box, and it was expensive, but I've had it 20 years. You only have to buy these things once.
Fit_Acanthisitta_475@reddit
Look at Facebook marketplace, there are plenty small fire proof box for 30bucks in my area
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
There are certifications for it, how long they can withstand a fire.
Fit_Acanthisitta_475@reddit
Just get brand name ones. Similar to this normally is 45min to hour rating
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1846028452592849/?mibextid=HHaHfI
Abject-Impress-7818@reddit
That's a useless waste of money, sorry.
Fit_Acanthisitta_475@reddit
It’s no useless, it’s you get what your pay for.
Abject-Impress-7818@reddit
If you pay for that safe you're not getting what you paid for. That post says $20, not free. So, no, you're getting much less than you paid for in this case.
Shoddy-Ingenuity7056@reddit
There are steps you can take today to prepare for fire concerning your documents and important papers and photos. I own a fire safe but more importantly and well before I purchased on I had duplicates of 90% of these in a separate family members house, I also have digital copies uploaded to a cloud server. This is a super low cost and effective method when preparing specifically for fire. I do the same with some basic clothing, gear and supplies stored at a family members house a distance away from mine. They were happy to store a couple totes and I do the same for them. If you come home to just a smoking foundation instead of a house at least you have a starting point at another location.
joshak3@reddit
At least in the United States, a safe deposit box at a bank is another place to keep important documents, and sometimes a box comes free with having a bank account. The obvious downside is convenience because access is limited to when the bank is open, but it's one additional option to consider.
Shoddy-Ingenuity7056@reddit
Great point!
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
I think someone stuff requires original documents and signatures tog be valid unfortunately, at least where I live. You easy too defraud otherwise.
OnTheEdgeOfFreedom@reddit
I mean you didn't even mention a country so I can't begin to guess what you might need. In the US I tell people to have a month of food, water and a way to cook. If that's out of reach, do 2 weeks.
So here's my suggestion. Your mom gave you some water jugs. Clearly, she's got some concept of prepping and she's been around longer than you. Start with a conversation with her.
Next, ask your local insurance company, if they work they way the do in the US, what the common problems in your area are. They have a real good idea about that and they might be willing to tell you. It might not be what you think.
What containers and some canned food are a great start. Maybe it's all you need. But it depends on what can go wrong, for how long, and to some extent what you know how to do. Learning to cook and having a little camping stove that runs on some portable fuel can be a game changer.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
I live in one of the "better" countries in the world. But it didn't seem important as shit can hit the fan anywhere which sort of puts you at a common baseline anyway.
OnTheEdgeOfFreedom@reddit
I didn't mean socially. What's your weather? North Canada isn't Costa Rica. How's your government services? Rural Belize isn't northeast US. How's your grid? Can you garden?
The idea that all prepping is the same everywhere is mythology. I prep completely differently where I am now in the tropics as compared to when I lived in the northern US. Because everything - climate, food availability, land access, water, culture - changed. About all you can say is yeah, you need food and water everywhere.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
Inland northern Sweden. Pretty calm weather in general. I live in a town with no gardening available to me personally. But there are options I guess.
OnTheEdgeOfFreedom@reddit
It sounds beautiful. But short growing season, cold in the winter, pipes could freeze... your government would (I think) be good at providing services; but near to a potentially aggressive neighbor. I think I'd focus on 3 months of food and water. If Sweden can't pull things together by then, things are real bad.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
Yeah, BRICS seem set on long term sabotage and civil "torture" of US Allies. They probably hope that Trump will abandon the rest of the world for them to conquer. We can only hope that we are ready to defend ourselves. Although Russia hasn't really impressed in Ukraine even before US and Europe started helping them.
But I digress. I will probably be fine. Just need to find a new job. Might have to move, don't love that idea.
PeatingRando@reddit
My view of prepping has always been that you should be prepared for an acute shock that could put things out of commission for a few weeks with limited access to local resources (whether that is caused by panic or whatever). Anything larger than that and the lone wolf stuff is sort of a fever dream, you’re going to have to work with people to make society function again. The goal of any response is to first cope but then recover.
That doesn’t mean you can’t have food supplies for a longer period, especially with things like rice and fats that are pretty cheap and abundant, but no matter how well anyone is prepped the supplies will eventually run out and then the question is “now what”? Better to be apart of a solution than wait for everything to deteriorate IMO.
AmosTali@reddit
You can’t prep for 30 days if you haven’t prepped for a week and haven’t prepped for a few days. Start with 72 hours. No power, no water - what do you NEED to get thru it. Needs and wants are different things. Got that covered? Good, now look at extending that to a week. Once you got that covered move to a month. Also, look at 72 hours - no power, no water BUT you cannot stay in your place of residence and must evacuate - what do you need and how you gonna take it with you. Then a week, then a month.
Great, you are off to a good start - now take it as far as you want. Do you want to cover bugging in (staying put) for 3 months, 6 months, a year? How about bugging out?
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
The idea of having to evacuate or helping someone else is interesting. I could probably do 72 hours just fine other than being bored and slightly nervous. A week seems harder though. Would need food for morale more than nutrition. I could probably get water from nearby streams fairly easily.
AmosTali@reddit
Think you are ready for 72 hours? Take a long weekend - throw the main breaker to your abode and shut off the water. Give it a try - what did you forget? What did you not anticipate? What did you eat? How’d you cook it? Did you like it? How’d you clean up? Boredom and nervousness are gonna be part of it - plan for it. If others live with you how did they deal with things? Now revise your NEEDS/Wants list and marshal on.
Doing a test like this when you don’t have to let’s you have the “oh crap, I forgot a…” moments without it doing any real harm.
Lots of folks say they are prepared for 72 hours but when you ask them “have you tried it?” “well no, but….” Then you aren’t sure… Once you cover the 72 hours you can extrapolate for longer with some basis in reality (although there are things you might skip for 72 hours you would NOT want to for much longer). Until you’ve actually done it you are just guessing…
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
Yeah, prepping tests sound really useful but also really boring. I would rather just checka off lists 😅
Abject-Impress-7818@reddit
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
What is that?
Abject-Impress-7818@reddit
No joke, morale is a serious thing to consider. You'll see a lot of people who make lists of gear to prep include things like a deck of cards or games/toys for their kids and a bottle of liquor for the nervous adult.
Consider picking up a hobby which doesn't need electricity. I read books and do woodcarving. Some people crochet or knit. If there's other people around then there are games you can play to get your mind off your situation and aleviate your anxiety.
Rough_Remote800@reddit
My first thought, and it may not be the answer you’re looking for, but let me ask. Before you go down the road of prepping for end of the world stuff, start small thinking there may be a natural disaster happening. IE, if the power goes out for a day or two, make sure you have flashlights and batteries etc. so yeah, the “shit hitting the fan” is probably less likely to happen, but small stuff may. Hope that helps and apologies in advance if you’ve already done this stuff.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
Thanks for replying. I'm looking for baby steps advice here. We rarely have outages of any kind. Don't think I have experienced anything worse than a power outage for a few hours in my life (I'm 38).
Abject-Impress-7818@reddit
More info from you is more helpful for us. Edit your post to inculde your broad location (just your country and probably the region of that country if it's a big one that covers multiple environments).
It would also be useful to know urban vs suburban vs rural.
At a most basic level can you just go to the local library and read some books? You know, do your homework and educate yourself a bit the old fashioned way?
cappyvee@reddit
What sort of weather event could occur? What’s the worst environmental event? Prep for that.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
I have a friend who made a monster portable battery out of a car battery from a crashed car he wanted to keep and reuse, so that seems pretty interesting. I have a good battery helper pack for my car, but I might need something beefier as well.
Abject-Impress-7818@reddit
Even if you're not in the US ready.gov has great resources on how to get started prepping. Be smart. Focus on things which are mostlikely to happen in your location.
Katesouthwest@reddit
Start by prepping for what is the most likely to occur in your area. For example: If you live in a place that gets 10 feet of snow every year or blizzards, make sure you have extra pair of boots, keep a snow shovel inside the house, extra blanket for each bed, flashlight in case of power outages due to ice storm, etc.
SurprisedWildebeest@reddit
For “every day” type prepping: Water, food, and medications are always good to have enough of on hand. Digital backups of your documents and backups of your phone/harddrives. An emergency fund of 6-12 months worth of expenses. Learning how to stop the bleed and do chest compressions. Knowing where the closest ER is and an alternative. Knowing 3 routes out of town. Bleach. The basics will help in any situation, so starting there is a good idea.
I have all of that plus 3 months worth of food & medication, and 3 weeks worth of water plus easy access to multiple sources of more fresh water.
MaLTC@reddit
How do you store your water?
SurprisedWildebeest@reddit
55 gallon water barrels
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
I have an emergency fund but also unemployment insurance. Might save 12-18 months of expenses so I can ditch the insurance fee though.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
Thinking about having about 500 bucks in cash on hand. Haven't use cash regularly in years tbh, but invaluable in a pinch.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
I do have a pretty well stocked medicine cabinet. Mostly because I do extreme/adventure sports where me and my friends get hurt. I actually bandaged up a friend mountainbiking and he got praise from the nurse afterwards :D
SunLillyFairy@reddit
Anyone, anywhere can have a personal or regional SHTF. A car accident with injuries, an illness, a house fire, a natural disaster, income loss, ect.
A good place to start is thinking more about lack of services. How would I fare if I had no... power, water, plumbing, internet, income, ect.
Some prepping basics are putting together an evac kit and having enough supplies for "bugging in" for 3 days, then expand to two weeks or whatever your comfort level is.
--> Water, food, first aid/Rx meds, back-up power (even if just a little for charging a phone and lights), a way to stay warm, a way to cook or heat food and boil water, an emergency toileting solution. Also a "Go bag," -- a simple version of which is a bag or tote that you can grab with what you need in case you need to evacuate.
FYI - You can buy a waterproof/fireproof file envelope for a lot less than a safe, and it can actually hold quite a bit. I have one in my evac kit with our most important documents, some old irreplaceable photos, and a usb drive that backs up documents and photos on my computer.
Happy prepping
Happy prepping.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
Power: pretty good. I live at the top of an apartment building and it's usually 24C+ due to heat rising from neighbors. Have some battery power that will save my smartphone for a while. Also a mobile charger in my car.
Water: 2 x 10L cans. Not too much but will last a little while.
Plumbing: Gravity powered, just need water to flush things out. Can also go outside into the woods.
Internet: More dependent on cell service which I can't affect. Don't think Starlink is available in my country yet.
Income: Have good unemployment insurance and a fair bit of savings. Don't have any cash on hand though, should fix that.
Medications: Have a fair amount of the most important things. Don't need anything regularly, only for emergencies.
1c0n0cl4st@reddit
The response from u/Rough_Remote800 was excellent advice. Think about what dangers you have and prepare for those, not some vague SHTF situation.
In my area, earthquakes, wildfires, power outages and water main breaks are common. Therefore, I focus my preparations on getting lights and power for power outages, water for the inevitable water main break and a bugout bag for wildfires.
If you give specific scenarios you are concerned about, you will get specific answers.
In general though, storing extra water and having backup power are staples for every prepper.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
It's pretty much nothing tbh, but that's the scary part too. We are generally actually ok 100% of the time and I don't want to trust that completely. But it makes it very hard to predict what is most likely to actually fail if something does fail, and be prepared for it.
1c0n0cl4st@reddit
No earthquakes; no fires; no floods; no civil unrest; no hurricanes, cyclones, typhoons. It sounds like paradise.
I am going to sell all of my preps and move to wherever you are.
upnorth86@reddit (OP)
We get forest fires occasionally but nothing that affected me personally so far.