Tear down my stay-in-place prep!
Posted by Disclosure32@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 22 comments
Hello everyone! first time posting but I've been reading a lot of posts to prep so thank you everyone on this sub!
I've done a bit of prepping the last year, I was hoping that some more experienced people could find the flaws in my prep to give me some new goals to build towards.
I am living in my home, small 3 bed 2 bathroom on 370 square metres in suburb environment with only me living here, very small backyard so lots of gardening/ animals isn't viable unfortunately:(
my prep pantry has about a year's worth of food made up of rice, beans, noodles, canned tuna/chicken, muesli bars, rolled oats,sauces/spices, flour, salt, honey, peanut butter, popcorn and even some designated chips chocolate and lollies! I also have some soda stream syrup for a treat. I also have beef and lamb, frozen vegetables and potato in a few freezers.
I know, power is my weakness, so I had a 6kw solar system installed and 32.6kw battery pack.
I have 2 large water tanks that need a water filtration system installed to make life easier otherwise I'll have to boil it.
for security I had roller shutters and security screens installed on all windows and cameras installed.
I'd love to to get a small garden going even if it's just a bunch of onions and potatoes.
I have a CO2 bottle for refilling soda stream bottles, a few butane camp bottles and gas bottles for a bbq (not much, probably 2-3 months of daily use)
I am short on power tools but I do have a crowbar, axe, hatchet, pocket knife, saw ect
I think I'm at the stage where I would like to have the capacity to help my neighbours out for a month or two as well, suggestions for what to stick in a care package would be appreciated
I also have a still for making alcohol for trade/funsies
thanks for reading!
Ryan_e3p@reddit
Comms are missing.
You have enough solar output and capacity to do some small-scale electrical cooking (even a 12V water heater/boiler, or smaller hotplate). I wouldn't stress about the camping stove. Save those for when you absolutely need to ration your stored kwh.
Disclosure32@reddit (OP)
Good point, I've got a hand crank radio with light and 2 small UHF radios. A 12 volt cooker is a great idea, my cooktop and water heater use gas so an electric backup is definitely worth it
Ryan_e3p@reddit
I would even say using an electric now might be an option! It's good times, and they're replenished often. Immediate savings on monthly gas costs will add up.
Remarkable_Gene4264@reddit
Get a one or two burner induction counter top system. One reason is they use magnetic induction to heat the pot or pan so there is no fire hazard and secondly they are extremely energy efficient. Just remember, your cooking vessels have to attract a magnetic to work, cast iron works very well but any ferrous based material will work, not aluminum or copper, it must be able to hold a magnet.
Include a UV light inline with your water filtration system, it will kill bacteria and viruses in the water, most filtration is to remove solids and debris, carbon filters are mostly for taste.
Resident-Welcome3901@reddit
Good preps: now work on organizing your neighbors into a mutual assistance group. Start small, talk to them about a neighborhood watch organization, or a block party, or a group garage sale. Exchange phone numbers, talk about having external siren and strobe alarms so each can summon help in an emergency. See if fema cert training or a local equivalent is available, and recruit some participants. Contact your municipal disaster preparedness office or local church to see if there are mission teams that need volunteers. fema cert
Exact_College9161@reddit
Pound for pound potatos provide the most nutrients. And you can increase your harvest by towering them if you add soil as they grow. Even a small footprint in the right containers can grow a good bit of potatos
Disclosure32@reddit (OP)
I cleaned up my backyard and I always underestimate how much room there is, I think I have a 2x7 patch of grass I could turn into a potato crop and if I add a few standing garden beds on the tiles I could even have some onions and carrots, maybe tomatoes. A decent supplement at any rate, a potato tower also sounds cool haha
HappyCamperDancer@reddit
I love bread, tortillas, cornbreads, pancakes and buns myself so I have some wheat flour (amount I can use in a year or two), cornmeal, yeast and baking powder. That plus salt and fats you can make lots of breads or biscuits.
I also know I will get sick of beans and rice, so I have some (not a ton, but some) other grains like barley, farro, grits, etc. Each has a slightly different nutritional profile in terms of vitamins and minerals. And not just pinto beans, I have black beans, small red beans, mung beans, green lentils and red lentils. So variety not just in spices and herbs, but in texture and taste.
Anyway, good job!
Disclosure32@reddit (OP)
A bit more variety definitely wouldn't hurt my food stockpile, pancake mix and corn flour are a good idea. I've got a bit of variety of beans and rice types.
I've got barley and heaps of bags of sugar but that's for the alcohol mash haha
Wild_Locksmith_326@reddit
Personal fitness, getting medical issues to include dental care handler proactively, learning skills is better than having gear sometimes.
Disclosure32@reddit (OP)
Yea I've got all the gear and no idea, I was just as affected by the fuel shortage as everyone else, really woke me up to get my prep in order elsewhere.
I've got a weight gym setup and a rowing machine, jump rope for staying fit at home.
I've started hunting and learning how to start maintaining tools and mucked around a little with electronics and basic vehicle care
CL_Engineer@reddit
Can water tank collect rain?
Disclosure32@reddit (OP)
Yes they are rain tanks, I should have said in the post.
CL_Engineer@reddit
And maybe more weapons
fenuxjde@reddit
First aid kits?
Heat? I really like the solar. 32kwh is no joke!
Maps? Documents?
For more water, is a rain barrel system viable where you are?
More hand tools.
Is a hunting rifle, ideally for food but also just in case, viable where you are?
Disclosure32@reddit (OP)
I have a few small first aid kits but nothing crazy. I'll add a big first aid kit to my wishlist.
I'm in Australia so it never gets freezing here and my insulation is quite good but I'll look into a low energy heater, maybe one of those ones that heat up oil inside it and radiate heat out
My two big water tanks are rainwater tanks which is why filtration is my next big project and priority because it'll have to be treated before use.
Maps and documents are a fantastic point and something I haven't organised. An easy fix that I will take care of today, thank you!
Australia is quite strict with its gun laws though I did start hunting last year, it is illegal to use a gun for self defence and the guns must be stored in a safe. For home defence I'm relying on looking too secure to bother and locking down access points to prevent entry without the attacker bringing power tools to cut their way in.
fenuxjde@reddit
Along with the first aid kit, a CAT and the training to use the pieces of your first aid kit effectively. Having it is useless if you don't know how to use it.
Good deal about not having to worry about heat, I'm jealous! Make sure you're able to use your fridge off that solar, it shouldn't be a problem.
Bow and arrow or just stockpile your typical Australian wildlife to throw at intruders. Probably cheaper than ammo and just as deadly!
Disclosure32@reddit (OP)
A tourniquet is a good idea, I'm ex army and have recently redone first aid training but don't have any real experience, just training. I've got a compound bow but should buy some new arrows, good point!
The solar setup is hooked up to the half of the house with the kitchen and attached garage, so all refrigeration will stay on even if the main power cuts out! It was an expensive investment but one I would recommend for anyone, great peace of mind
ContestNo2060@reddit
This sounds like a decent suburban setup. I’m in a similar environment, but with a family of four. Something that I would consider is a system for sanitation and waste management. If sewers aren’t functional, your neighbors will be throwing shit and trash out into their yards and disease risk explodes for everyone around. A small yard is tricky because a latrine would be close to your home and a spillover would be possible with a rain event. You might need to arrange for a wash station to remove footwear before tracking anything into your house. Pest management would also fall under this area too because insects and rodents could carry disease into your space. I’d think about a protocol to deal with this. Also, have a plumber check to see if your house has a backflow valve installed on your sewer line. If municipal sewers backup, homes could get flooded with sewage and your house will be off limits. It’s not a fun topic, but cholera and dysentery are deadly and probably more likely to take a person out than anything. I’m a microbiologist who set up clean rooms so my home would be treated like a lab trying to prevent outside contamination.
nakedonmygoat@reddit
This is very smart, and I would add that OP should consider a camp toilet and extra bags for personal use. Camp toilets come at all price points, so it's really just a question of how serious OP believes the possibility of no water may be.
Disclosure32@reddit (OP)
I stockpiled a bunch of garbage bags and by coincidence already have a small camp toilet, but it's a great idea and I hadn't thought about latrine hygiene, which was a big flaw in my prep. The camp toilet is a great suggestion! Thank you
Disclosure32@reddit (OP)
These are great ideas, thank you! I have a small camp toilet and a bunch of garbage bags but that is a coincidence, I hadn't planned on a long term latrine.
Pest management is also a great consideration, I'll get at least some basic mouse and insect control measures.
Disease is definitely one of the most likely threats, I'll stock up on more soap and hand wash and get that water filtration system in place, that and boiling should keep me in the clear. I'll get some medicine just in case.
The backflow valve is a genius consideration! Anything else a plumber should look at or potentially do?
Glad to see you using your scientific expertise for good, don't you go mad scientist on us during the apocalypse haha