Sunday, February 26, 2012

Power failures for long periods

Here in California we are fortunate to never have had a prolonged power outage that I know of.  The worst case I can remember was about a week due to a fire.  Even then, the wildfires will still be raging and the power company is following right behind with replacement poles.  Power has been out for a few days from earthquakes.  Even last summer when San Diego, Orange, and Imperial Counties went dark it was only for a day.  I doubt that many people learned anything from that experience.  For example, I spoke with brother-in-law's mother who was stuck in San Diego due to the power outage.  She still doesn't pack anything in the car for emergencies or carry anything in when she's parking and taking the public transportation into downtown.  In other parts of the country the power grid goes down a lot more.  That's due to ice storms and wind storms.  We just don't have that kind of weather here or when we do it's so localized that it gets repaired quickly. 

But what if the power grid was interrupted for a period of time?    G.I. Jim has some suggestions:
1. Load and carry your firearm.  You may be prepared, but others will not be.  Don't let your preparations make you a victim.
2.  Assess your food situation.  Use refrigerated leftovers and thawed meats first!!  Move one or two frozen items at a time into the fridge after a few hours to help keep fridges contents cold.  Know what is in the fridge and freezer so you don't have to keep opening and letting out the cool!  Keep a supply of charcoal/wood or a backup or two of propane for that type barbecue.  If this looks like it will be an extended power failure, start smoking and jerking meats (thawed first) over barbecue at low heat.  Don'[t wait for everything to thaw and try to do it all at once. 
3.  Water pressure will start to fail in the city after a wile.  Fill EVERY available container with water.  Even if the container is non0sanitary, fill it!! Toilets don't flush on air.  (Fill the bathtub if you can.)  Also while on the subject, pee outside.  Save the water for b.m. flushes.
4. Make it known that you are armed.  Carry your long gun in the yard as you are prepping.  This will keep your honest neighbors honest and will make others think twice.
5. Never let your fuel tank get below three quarters of a tank!  Have back up fuel, in cans, that you rotate once a month.  Have enough to get out of Dodge and somewhere safe! Also back p propane canisters for Coleman stove/lantern or white gas.  Batteries, batteries, batteries!!!
6. If you have an R.V. keep it stocked and fueled.  The holding tank will provide you a storage for your waste and the water tank, batteries, generator will give you power to listen to broadcasts to assess the situation and get out of Dodge if you have to. Plus, with a stocked R.V. you hook up and go, before it gets rough!
7. Have maps of the area.  Stay off the well traveled highways, as they will clog up first.  I cannot emphasize enough, taking "Sunday Drives" and finding different ways to get to your fall back position.  Even though some use the same routes through some areas, there are 14 different ways from the city to the town GI Jim lives in!  If a bridge is out, can you turn around and detour another way?  Having ways that are only 4 wheel drive in addition to the 2 wheel drive roads are another good backup plan if you drive a 4x4.  Having to make detours to get to where you are going is a great reason to have your tank always close to full.
8. Make sure you have your prescription meds with you and do not put off refills. 

3 comments:

  1. On point #1, I agree, but one cautionary note:

    Depending on the state you live in, your conceal carry permit "privileges" may be suspended if the governor declares a state of emergency. I personally think that's the one time you'll certainly need it, but the police and military won't care.

    On #4, I have to disagree. If a situation develops like Katrina where the government starts going house to house confiscating firearms (it was a documented fact that this happened), the less some nosy anti-gun neighbor knows about what weapons you have the better you'll be able to hide your them. Loose lips sink ships.

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  2. Something that I have not covered. A preposition of supplies and shelter might be a good idea. Also, if you are falling back to the mountains, pick a place that is not well traveled. Pre-positioning and shelter building is not legal in the national forest. Thus, keep your signature small and your shelter crude. If TSHTF you will have plenty of time develop it and by that time most law enforcement will be home protecting their own. Placing goods in rock cracks or under ground covering the cracks with other rocks is the best way to keep them from discovery.
    I am not TELLING you to do something illegal, just offering suggestions.....The city will be NO place to be !!

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  3. Matt, I like your thought process on #4. It is well documented that in some neighborhoods weapons were confiscated. I don't think I'd just hand mine over and I haven't seen documentation of houses being broken into by the government troops to get their weapons. I'm not saying that it didn't happen, as I’ve read it on blogs that it did, but in most cases people handed them over. What were they thinking? How about not answering the door. Or “Do you have guns here?” “No.”

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