Yeah that's 19th-century technology, bro.Internal Combustion Engine
One of my college roommates was from South Florida and went home to prepare for Andrew in ‘92.It's interesting to look back on this discussion post Covid.
Before I say anything else, let me say Im I'm absolutely convinced Covid was a dry run. They found out that all they have to do to get the majority of Americans to give up their Civil Liberties is scare them bad enough.
AFAI Was C Covid, might as well have never happened. I was working as a Night Watchman at an empty warehouse on third shift. I saw the person I relieved and the person who relieved me. They never actually locked down Colorado but I had a letter from my employer designating me as "Mission Essential Personnel" in case they did.
I've said this before but during the shortages I asked my wife to take note of things that would have been useful that were hard to come by and if things ever eased up that's what we were going to stock.
That's what we've been doing for 4 years.
The biggest part of our "Preps" wasn't even our doing. As mentioned many times previously our daughter bought a plot of land out on the Eastern Plains and put a house on it for us to live in.
We moved out here about a month ago. and we've pretty much decided we're not going West of Ellicott Highway unless we have to.
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FWIW out here everybody has a backup generator and some are off the Grid entirely.
I talk about Xavier Breathe everytime this topic comes up. He's a blogger who lived through Katrina.
One thing that he mentioned was if everyone else is doing without electricity and your house is lit up like a Christmas Tree it will be noticed. He also mentioned that the sound of a gas generator carries for miles when there's no other sound.
My street floods every couple years. I can’t count the nights I spent in hip waders or a canoe with a shotgun patrolling for looters.One of my college roommates was from South Florida and went home to prepare for Andrew in ‘92.
He told stories about turning off the generator at night (and taking shifts with shotguns) so the looters wouldn’t come to the sound and looking for the lights.
Not so much a problem with Ivan, but Katrina, yes.
I've already said this but where I'm at almost everybody has a backup generator. So if the power goes out and I fire mine up I'm not going to be the Lone Ranger.
Technology has advanced since Katrina, gas generators are kind of old school technology.
One of the things though that Xavier Breathe mentioned in his blog, again this isn't so much a problem here, was it even if his neighbors weren't trying to steal his generator it became very obvious very quickly that his house had power and theirs didn't. His neighbors started lining up at his door. "demanding" access to the electricity.
So again, you don't want to be the only house on the block that's lit up.
I posted this video before.
As I said at the beginning of this post technology has advanced quite a bit since the early 90s.
We have LED bulbs in some of our light fixtures with a battery backup. No generator needed. We put garden lights out not for decoration but again because it's emergency lighting.
We have USB rechargeable Phoenix lanterns that will light up our whole living room.
I mentioned that because that's that much load that's taking off the generator because it's not generating lights.
Our heat is propane (and wood), are stoves propane, again and wood.
If the power goes out for an extended period here the only thing we're really going to be running off to solar generator is the fridge and the deep freeze and the well.
Why yes, my SHTF event begins when my eggs get burned, then I head out to Waffle House.We've all used the term SHTF in conversation or in our post. Some people prepare for such an event more so then others. When most of us use this term do we have a real definition as to what that would look like or how it happened? Is SHTF a temporary event caused by civil unrest, terrorist attack, natural disaster etc.... Or is SHTF more of total societal collapse brought on by a major event such as meteor strike, the world's economy collapse or a zombie apocalypse.
What is your idea of how SHTF and how is it brought on?
Do you have a contingency plan for such an event?
I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on the subject.
No need to be shy this can be a fun topic.
Biggest problem in S. Arizona is Tucson. Lots of crime, homeless, etc. I realize you are probably located miles out, but all those gangbangers gotta eat. I live about 15 miles North as a snowbird and a fair amount of artillery follows me South in November. Plus if SHTF, a lot of Mexicans will be heading for the USA. I mean, they live in a SHTF already, anything has got to be better!I knew it was coming,but not in my lifetime.After much thought.I decided to get to southern Arizona.Set up at home to protect me & the wife as best as possible.Concerned about looters& such.I know that if the authorities both local & state come in force.Partys over.I won't fire on American troops.Nato is another story.There are many setting up for all out conflict,but I have to be real.Those who have never seen something like this are all ready for the shooting to start.Been there done that.It's still beyond belief that we are talking about America.I'll be ready & do what I can
Being in suburbia, I stock up on canned goods and water certain times of the year. Then eat them down and replenish again after we get close to summer months. If we go periods of ice, snow, no electricity, I have nat gas and 4 propane tanks I keep filled to cook/keep warm and survive with no electricity.We have learned to be self reliant out here on the ranch. We have a 40kw diesel generator to run two houses and the well pump, hurricane shutters, saws and tractors for clearing the driveways, and ample canned goods and MREs to last till things return to normal. Firearms and fishing gear on hand. Oh, and don't forget an emergency supply of feed for our various critters to last a few weeks. We learned through sad experience what it is like to be without power for 3 weeks following Ivan.
My wife finding out how much I really paid for my guns.
This scenario is one I ponder often. More specifically though, the pros and cons of dailying my motorcycle (bagger) versus my SUV.How about distance from home when SHTF the highway is in gridlock and there is mass rioting? An example for me is sometimes I can be 50 miles or more from home when I'm at work. Can you imagine trying to span 50 miles through a heavy population area to reach your home and family without having any form of communication if the phone service stops and everyone is in panic?
I'd say arriving at the Waffle House is when your SHTF event beginsWhy yes, my SHTF event begins when my eggs get burned, then I head out to Waffle House.