Emergency Food Supplies

[Hugh R]

I wanted to start a more recent thread on this since technology and prices change. Feel free to add other survival-related stuff, but this is not PARF.

The most likely disaster scenario for me in SoCal is a bigass earthquake. The Northridge Earthquake was a PIA 20 years ago, but food supply, water and power were not really an issue. But the scenario we are considering is the really big one, 8.0 or greater.

The Trophy Wife is considering a 30 day supply of dehydrated food stuffs in a few pails that the company my son works for. 25 year shelf life and the ability to load a few plastic pails into the RV and leave if we need to seems kind of attractive. I have a 20,000 gallon pool, but the way its plumbed with a big earthquake I'm going to assume it would completely drain. So I can store and rotate 100 gallons of water or so, no big deal.

We are looking at this Emergency Reserve 360 Serving Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Bucket

I can get it for about 25% less than their posted price through my Son. Any other suggestions?

Feel free to add about emergency generators (I have one), neighbors trying to take your stuff, Zombies, guns, etc.

[GWN7]

If it's a really big one won't California fall into the ocean and then having any amount of food be a mute point when your under water?

[nostatic]

I need to get new emergency food as mine is about 4 or 5 years old now. I have a weeks supply of dehydrated and 10 gal of water. And a *lot* of ammo. I have worked with a lot of first responders and they all suggested being able to fend for yourself for probably a week when the big one hits.

I want to add a generator. I was going to get one for outdoor gigs (the little Honda 2000 seems like a good choice) and it would suffice in a pinch.

Have you tried that food bucket? Looks like a great solution - I think I'll buy one to replace my current stores.

[Hugh R]

Todd, I haven't tried it yet.

Re: Generators, buy a name brand, Honda, Yamaha. The cheap ones at Pep Boys you can't get parts for. I have the Honda 2000. Run Mobil 1 oil, it'll cost you $10 more over its life. Run it once a month with a load, like your wife's hairdryer (ten minutes with load, 5 minutes without load to cool down). I know several people who let one sit for six months, or more and the carb was gummed up badly and wouldn't start and spend $100 to have a service tech clean it out . Have 5 gallons of gas handy and put Stabil fuel stabilizer in the five gallon tank. The stabilized gas is supposed to be good for a year, in six months, dump the fuel in your car and replace the gas and fuel stabilzer, It won't cost you a cent more, because you'd use the gas anyway, just replacing old fuel stock.

Also the Honda provides a true sine wave AC, not a clipped one, which your electronics will appreciate.

[Evans, Marv]

I'm kind of on the fence about this kind of thing. An earthquake is always a possibility, but I'm thinking more along the possibility of a terrorist operation to take down a decent part of the grid in SoCal. There are other scenarios, but lots would amount to about the same situation. Since I live in the hills, I would probably depend on my 10K water thank, generator, and stored food for awhile. I do need more ammo, but that is a decision I have to make. I suspect large buckets of food needing water wouldn't be that easy to transport very far from home. I doubt an RV would be able to make it far in the crazy commotion that would follow after a major event, especially in highly populated areas. So I've planned on supplies to last for a shorter period and have my backpack ready to go if things really go south. I can live out in the bush making a really small footprint with the ability to defend myself in an extreme situation for sometime. People living in densely populated areas would face extreme problems with mobility, supplies, access to safe water, and maybe dangerous people. In my mind, mobility is maybe the most important thing. A large store of supplies is OK if you don't have to move for a long time waiting for the situation to improve.

[Hugh R]

Marv, I agree 100% I live in Santa Clarita, so escape is a greater possibility. Living in somewhere like Torrance would be a little more problematic. With water and my existing food supply and the emergency rations I mentioned above, I think I'd be good for a few months. Ammo not withstanding.

[nostatic]

In Santa Monica, we'll be gridlocked unless we get on the GS - in which case we're not carrying much. That would have to be an "escape to safe location" rather than "relocate and hunker down."

I've got about 10K rounds in all, spread between 12 gauge, 9mm, .357, and .22LR. Don't think I need to worry about that side of things. Water is probably the bigger concern as I keep a couple of 5-gal plastic bottles. I'd rather have closer to 20 gal for the 3 of us. Again, I'm planning on a week of down time.

Not sure the terrorist thing will come to pass. An earthquake however is pretty much guaranteed - just depends on the epicenter. I don't think our house will be flattened, but parts of the city might and things will shut down. At that point you're ok in your own home but on your own for food/water/safety.

[GWN7]

Only buy non ethanol gasoline for generators (actually for all small engine motors). Same as your emergency gas cans. Ethanol gasoline absorbs moisture from the air which causes the fuel systems to rust and gum up making the motors useless over short period of time. It's ok to use in a car because it gets used up quickly.

[look 171]

We buy those small non Ethanol gas canisters for our small construction equip from places like garden supply places. Anyone use them?

I have nothing but a couple of 2 gallon water jugs. Not too much food except for what's inside our pantry.

We seem to talk about stuff like this in the US lots, how about our neighbor up north? Are you guys prepared for such event. What type of disaster do you fear most?

[aigel]

I have a lot of food at the house at all times just because we cook from scratch and buy in bulk. Combine it with camping gear and gas stove / lantern, this can go for a month, no problem. It will not be great food, but definitely no issues to live well. All that's key is a good emergency water supply. 1 gal / day per person. Currently have 30 gallons stored. That covers a week, not counting what you can get out of your hot water heater and the top of the toilets - likely 2 weeks. By then, I'd expect a water truck help or can just go to a natural source with a water filter by bicycle ...

I would never buy the dry stuff. The problem with it is that you have to throw it out in a few years. My beans, rice, flour, canned stuff, I eat and replace all the time.

G

[GWN7]

Originally Posted by look 171

We buy those small non Ethanol gas canisters for our small construction equip from places like garden supply places. Anyone use them?

I have nothing but a couple of 2 gallon water jugs. Not too much food except for what's inside our pantry.

We seem to talk about stuff like this in the US lots, how about our neighbor up north? Are you guys prepared for such event. What type of disaster do you fear most?

Not earthquakes, not saying it couldn't happen but if one did (and it was big enough) the ground would liquefy and swallow everything. So there's no worrying about that till the ground thaws in June.

A natural gas pipeline exploded a couple weeks ago. It effected places South East of here and down into Minnesota. They were without gas for 3-4 days. People adapted by using more electrical power to heat their homes.

Electrical outages rarely happen. Maybe every two years power goes out for 2 or 3 hours. Usually in the summer after a thunder storm. I have 4 generators and usually 10 gals of gas in storage. I can access another 50+ out of the motorhome or the cars if needed.

Water: We get our water from a lake 97 miles away. The system is gravity fed. Pressure is built up at local pumping stations which run on electrical power and natural gas generators for back up. So we won't run out of water, just might loose pressure if everything goes apocalyptic.

Defence: I'm a firm believer in if you have enough ammo you can get what you want. To that effect I have just under 17,000 rounds of ammo split between .22, 12g and .30-06 With several dispensers for each caliber. I also have a 2-3 year supply of TP. It never goes bad and you always need it.

My only concern is dog food. I have just over 150 lbs on hand which will last till mid May. I buy 300-400 lbs at a time. Twice a year.

[Rick V]

I am fortunate that this is something I don't really need to worry about. I doubt we will have any terror activity out here in the sticks, unless cows and horses become a target, we always have food on hand, and the water tower is within swatting distance from my place. The only real disaster we wold have around here, short of a hurricane which should never catch anybody off guard is a nuclear one. Our earthquake a couple of years ago was directly under a set of reactors. I live close enough that should they go boom I won't survive the initial blast and I doubt I would want to survive for long after that kind of exposure anyway. Now if we get zombies, I am more than ready, but that is a hobby so I don't consider it a preparation requirement.

[stealthn]

Isn't the military working on pizzas that last 3 years?

[legion]

Originally Posted by stealthn

Isn't the military working on pizzas that last 3 years?

Based on my college apartment, I believe Papa John's has already perfected it.

[GH85Carrera]

Around here we have tiny little earth quakes and I don't expect a big devastating regional one. Tornadoes are very localized.

[Tobra]

Canned food is better than dehydrated in one significant way. It already has water in it. For camping with a backpack, especially if I am going where I can put some snow in the black plastic canteen, sure.

If I am at the house, give me some canned tomatoes, maybe some pears or peaches. If I need a treat some homemade jelly. Having a few chickens, maybe goats for milk, would not be so bad either, in the zombies are coming, earthquake, EMP, insurrection type scenario. You would still want water, and plenty of it, but would not need quite as much. If I am driving a 29' land yacht, dragging a hybrid camry on a tow dolley, the only dehydrated food I am eating is spices and sun dried tomatoes, mango or raisins maybe.

Citrus trees are nice. Fruit will keep on the tree pretty well in a lot of cases, just get sweeter to a certain point. Orange juice is not water either, but if you have a little champagne, maybe it is better.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

I wanted to start a more recent thread on this since technology and prices change. Feel free to add other survival-related stuff, but this is not PARF.

The most likely disaster scenario for me in SoCal is a bigass earthquake. The Northridge Earthquake was a PIA 20 years ago, but food supply, water and power were not really an issue. But the scenario we are considering is the really big one, 8.0 or greater.

The Trophy Wife is considering a 30 day supply of dehydrated food stuffs in a few pails that the company my son works for. 25 year shelf life and the ability to load a few plastic pails into the RV and leave if we need to seems kind of attractive. I have a 20,000 gallon pool, but the way its plumbed with a big earthquake I'm going to assume it would completely drain. So I can store and rotate 100 gallons of water or so, no big deal.

We are looking at this Emergency Reserve 360 Serving Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Bucket

I can get it for about 25% less than their posted price through my Son. Any other suggestions?

Feel free to add about emergency generators (I have one), neighbors trying to take your stuff, Zombies, guns, etc.

If you are a member of Sam's Club, they sell large family kits, at various quality levels.

Emergency Foods & Supplies - Sam's Club

[Tilikum Turbo]

Cell-phones won't be worth their weight in shyte in any actual emergency(system will be overloaded)...a SAT Phone?...but then the receiver will need one too.

[campbellcj]

We keep a lot of SHTF supplies here - several weeks of food which a mix of MREs and dry camping/emergency stuff, plus regular dry, canned and pouch stuff with long shelf-lives. I go through it and refresh ideally every year. (Generally we have too much food in the house as well.) Lots of batteries, ammo, blankets, water filters, other stuff. The pool gives us ~15,000 gallons of water unless there's radiation or biochem contamination. It's minimally chlorinated and can be micro-filtered or boiled. Nearly everything is in plastic bins and a large backpack in case we need to throw it all in the truck and boogie in a hurry.

If things got really ugly I suppose we could hunt quail, rabbit and deer behind the house but the whole town would probably get the same idea and that wouldn't end well.

About the only thing we didn't get yet is a generator but we do have battery-powered radios plus a small solar charger. Yes I had a paranoid streak a few years back. No you're not all invited.

[Son_of_Mossguy]

Canned foods are the easiest way to start to build a food reserve- just double what you usually purchase. One caveat regarding this method- You will have a generally safe shelf life of only two-three years (there are exceptions to this, I know). This makes it very import to keep track of the expiration dates, and cycle them into your regular usage as they get close.

The second method (especially good if you don't want to maintain records of your shelf lives) is to purchase freeze-dried foods from reliable sources. Oregon Freeze-Dry has been making freeze-dried foods for about fifty years now, and are the leader in safety, nutrition, and longevity. Sold as "Mountain House" brand, these items generally have a ten to twenty year shelf life, great for "buy and forget"

Be wary of off-brand stored foods- many of these have high moisture content and unrealistic marked shelf lives.