10-18-2005, 09:57 AM | #1 | ||
Coordinator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Keene, NH
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Assembling a Survival Kit
so, I don't want to go all militia on y'all, but I've been putting some thought into putting together a small emergency/survival kit. You know, for like if we get snowed in without power for a couple of days, or if there's a nuclear holocaust or something like that.
I'm not building a bomb shelter, but I was thinking of getting some water and canned goods and stuff and put them in a designated shelf in the basement. and I want to do this cheaply, of course, since I never, ever, ever will need to use it. so what do you guys and gals think I would need?
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10-18-2005, 09:58 AM | #2 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Include a can opener.
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10-18-2005, 10:00 AM | #3 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Not too far away
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We keep a handcrank radio around (it also takes batteries).
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10-18-2005, 10:11 AM | #4 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Seriously, at my local Costco they have been selling a kit like this pretty cheaply - has all the obvious non-food items you'd need including light medical aids. Something like that might be worth doing for peace of mind if nothing else, plus it would be in a nice little case and would therefore look a little less creepy than having a shelf full of cotton balls.
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10-18-2005, 10:12 AM | #5 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Is it even possible to be snowed in for days? I mean we've had about as much snow as you could imagine at times and you could still get around.
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10-18-2005, 10:12 AM | #6 |
High School Varsity
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Canned Goods... The new way is Army MRE's...
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10-18-2005, 10:13 AM | #7 |
General Manager
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: The Town of Flower Mound
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I've been snowed in at my parents house before. There was four feet of snow on the ground and we couldn't get past the driveway for three or four days until the snow plow finally made it to their street...
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UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO Last edited by JeeberD : 10-18-2005 at 10:14 AM. |
10-18-2005, 10:15 AM | #8 | |
Head Coach
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Quote:
I guess I amend my comment to "is it possible to get snowed in for 3 days if you live anywhere near civilization."
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"Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales |
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10-18-2005, 10:15 AM | #9 |
General Manager
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: The Town of Flower Mound
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This was in a suburb just south of Denver, kid.
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UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO |
10-18-2005, 10:17 AM | #10 | |
Head Coach
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Quote:
I still can't see 3 days. Although I can't say I've been a part of a storm dropping 4 feet. 3 feet yes and it took maybe a day. I guess that extra foot is a bitch.
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"Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales |
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10-18-2005, 10:21 AM | #11 | |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Cary, NC
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Quote:
A "manual" can-opener, not one of those fancy electric ones. A stove / grill that doesn't require an external fuel source. Our gas grill works well, or a camp stove would work. Better to eat hot Chef Boyardee instead of cold Chef Boyardee. Head to your local warehouse club and buy bottled water and canned food.
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10-18-2005, 10:24 AM | #12 | |
College Starter
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Beantown
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Quote:
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Boston Bashers - III.14 - (8347) |
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10-18-2005, 10:25 AM | #13 | |
Head Coach
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Quote:
Nashua, NH.
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10-18-2005, 10:25 AM | #14 | |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Cary, NC
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Quote:
Yes. If you live, say, in the middle of North Carolina where you never get more than a couple of inches of snow maybe twice a year, so they don't have a lot of plow equipment as it's cheaper to just shut down for a day twice a year, and then you get 20 or more inches in one big dump (with it starting as a half-inch or so of ice, which of course got nicely compacted by all the snow on top of it), plus it stays cold for a couple more days so melting takes a bit. It was day 3 before I was able to drive to the Vet to get a med for our dog, and that was dicey.
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10-18-2005, 10:27 AM | #15 | |
Head Coach
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Quote:
How did you make it through without a survival kit?
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10-18-2005, 10:28 AM | #16 |
College Starter
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Burlington, VT USA
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It's certainly possible to get snowed in under the right conditions up here. The longer the snowfall, the higher the likelihood.
Portable scanner. To answer DD's question. |
10-18-2005, 10:44 AM | #17 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Los Angeles, California
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A gallon of water, per person, per day. Everything else that people have said seems really good too. I would plan to have enough food for up to 3 days without access to additional food sources.
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10-18-2005, 11:14 AM | #18 | |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Wisconsin
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Quote:
To save space, just keep a P-38 handy...
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10-18-2005, 11:27 AM | #19 | |
Rider Of Rohan
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Port Angeles, WA or Helm's Deep
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10-18-2005, 11:38 AM | #20 | |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Cary, NC
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Quote:
Actually, having moved here from Florida, we keep a couple of days worth of canned food and water on hand all the time Besides, in this case we actually had power, so cooking and water weren't an issue. We've had an ice storm knock out power for most of the day (some people not too far away were out for a week or more), and we've had a hurricane knock out power for most of a day. I'm lucky enough to live near a major transmission line (but not too close), so we're among the early ones to get power back as they need to restore our power to get to all the others.
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10-18-2005, 11:59 AM | #21 | |
College Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Chula Vista, CA
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It's 1942 and 1943 all over again!
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10-18-2005, 12:03 PM | #22 | |
Coordinator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Keene, NH
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Quote:
that's actually a nice idea. I don't have a Costco or anything like it near here, but I think I'll check that out next time I'm in the big city.
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10-18-2005, 12:06 PM | #23 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Here's an Amazonlink to some products that try to do this sort of thing in an organized way. The related products include things like supplements and so forth...
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...83144?v=glance |
10-18-2005, 12:13 PM | #24 |
The boy who cried Trout
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: TX
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Asprin?
And isn't the P-38 the military designation for a can opener? |
10-18-2005, 12:19 PM | #25 | |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Wisconsin
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Quote:
Yes.. I just left that out to allow for the requisite plane or pistol jokes. I wasn't disappointed.
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You, you will regret what you have done this day. I will make you regret ever being born. Your going to wish you never left your mothers womb, where it was warm and safe... and wet. i am going to show you pain you never knew existed, you are going to see a whole new spectrum of pain, like a Rainboooow. But! This rainbow is not just like any other rainbow, its... |
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10-18-2005, 12:26 PM | #26 |
Red-Headed Vixen
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Howabout a week's worth of perscriptions? You'd hate to run out if something happens.
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10-18-2005, 12:38 PM | #27 | |
assmaster
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Bloomington, IN
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Quote:
Most Rx's would go bad (the meds, not necessarily the script) in about six months. It's a good idea, but keeping the meds fresh would be a pain in the ass. For DD: Shotgun and shells. Worse comes to worst, you can always shoot and eat the family. |
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10-18-2005, 12:47 PM | #28 | |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Dayton, OH
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Quote:
Snowed in maybe, but you can definitely be iced in. There have been a couple of ice storms in Memphis during my 20 years here that you couldn't get around for days. |
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10-18-2005, 12:47 PM | #29 | |
Head Coach
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Quote:
wussies
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10-18-2005, 12:52 PM | #30 |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: At the corner of Beat Street and Electric Avenue
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Condoms and Twinkies.
Since you won't be using the bomb shelter all that much, I know you guys will probably use it as a late night getaway. And Twinkies last forever. |
10-18-2005, 04:35 PM | #31 |
Captain Obvious
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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Do MRE's have a long shelf life? I would that that canned food is only good for a few years at most, so you would need to refresh your supplies every few years..
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10-18-2005, 04:54 PM | #32 | |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Wisconsin
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Quote:
Stored in a cool environment (60-70 degrees), you can expect 5+ years. (I've heard up to 10). Granted, I think shelf life of an MRE is subjective.. I think it is based on 'does it still taste good?' rather than is it spoiled.
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You, you will regret what you have done this day. I will make you regret ever being born. Your going to wish you never left your mothers womb, where it was warm and safe... and wet. i am going to show you pain you never knew existed, you are going to see a whole new spectrum of pain, like a Rainboooow. But! This rainbow is not just like any other rainbow, its... |
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10-18-2005, 05:21 PM | #33 |
High School JV
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Hillsboro OR
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Any emergency kit should include basic food, water and some shelter for 3 days. I would keep it in a duffle bag or something in your basement in case your emergency forces you to leave the house. Shelter could be a pup tent, a giant tarp and rope, just something that can get you out of the elements for a little bit. I would also try to have some old clothes with it just in case. I have a Boy Scout handbook in mine because it has a lot of basic first aid, sanitation and safety information as well as the "outdoorsy" stuff.
A couple of resources: www.beprepared.com www.providentliving.com http://www.redcross.org/services/pre...,0_91_,00.html |
10-18-2005, 05:26 PM | #34 |
High School JV
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Baltimore, MD
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Baby Wipes. Trust Me.
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10-18-2005, 06:06 PM | #35 | |
Red-Headed Vixen
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Quote:
We have a kit that includes our perscriptions. We just make a point to check our kits on our birthdays (they're 6 months apart). Kinda like checking your smoke detector. DD - howabout a toy or a teddy bear for your daughter? If something were to happen, it might be nice to give her something to get her mind off the situation. I think I'm going to add a football or something for our little guy the next time we check the kits. |
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10-19-2005, 01:09 PM | #36 | |
High School JV
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Florida Swampland
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Quote:
MRE's only taste good when you are starving, so stick with the 10 year estimate. DD, living on the gulf coast I can tell you all of the suggestions above are good ones. Only things I would add would be a board game or two, oil lamps, aspirin, instant coffee if you drink it, and, as mentioned above, condoms (we had a major baby boom around here about 9 months after Hurricane Ivan). |
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