Amazed

[Pearl]

So the severe weather the other day was very well announced!! TV, radio, social media, Pearl (telling everyone I know to get ready)! So yesterday and today I am hearing so many stories of unpreparedness!! Two of my clients in their 90's didn't have flashlights ! One lady I know goes out to eat everyday, her area had no electricity, hence, no restaurants open! And several who didn't know the storms were coming until the sirens went off!! WTHeck???

 

[lonewolf]

its not unusual in todays society.
most people here dont have flashlights, they dont need them when they can flick a switch.
brother in law a businessman eats out every day and there is no, repeat no, food in the house at all.
and there are many like that.

 

[Sourdough]

"HARDEN your HEART". whatever thou experience today is a nothing-burger relative to the future.

 

[Morgan101]

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. It is sad. You did your best. IMHO even if you asked very specific questions, and TOLD them what they should do, they still wouldn't do it. Somebody, a family member or a care provider has to prepare for them. Some safety items, you mentioned flashlights, should be put in the home.

 

[lonewolf]

you can tell people until you are blue in the face, but most will not listen, I have tried with my inlaws but they dont want to listen, so I no longer bother, their survival is in their hands and no one elses.

 

[Cabin Fever]

We have relatives who live in a suburb of Houston, TX. About 10 years ago, the governor of Texas declared an emergency due to an incoming hurricane (can't remember which one). Did they prepare for the hurricane? No. They had several days to prepare, to fill up the vehicles and gas cans, get bottled water, and travel food. Put they didn't. So, they left Houston along with millions of others. The freeways and multilane highways became parking lots. It was hot and humid, so they ran their car's AC even when sitting still. Eventually, our relatives and hundreds of thousands of other Houstonians were stranded on the highways because they ran out of gas. People were using the road ditches as toilets. People were roaming from car to car asking for food and water. There were screams and people moaning and a few gun shots. When they finally returned home, about a week later, they found rotten food in their refrigerators and freeze. The power was out for several days when they were gone and all the cold and frozen food warmed up and rotted.

 

[lonewolf]

yep, its what I have been saying to people over here for years but do they listen? nope.
when the big event happens the population will be decimated.
we all need to look after ourselves because nobody else will and the govt certainly wont.

 

[Weedygarden]

Okay, I am a little bit passionate about this topic. Sorry for the long post!

After reading Caribou's post here, giving us a head's up about COVID in January of 2020, I got busy, making sure that I had more of long term dairy stuff in my fridge, such as the irradiated milk and cream that has a much longer shelf life. Food Irradiation: What You Need to Know

I talked to my daughter and took her to Costco, in late January and late February, telling her to get extras of things like T.P., paper towels, and things that I know she eats and uses regularly. She was unemployed at the time, and I wanted her to be prepared. If she were not prepared, then I would be impacted as well. I told her about something in China that had the country locked down and that it was likely to become world wide, so lets get foods stocked up for her. She does not believe in prepping, but she was right on board with it. She got through the initial lock downs very well with being prepared and stocked up. She is still using that rice from the 25 pound bag of rice that I strongly suggested she get. I consider that a big win!

I also began having a few conversations with friends at dog parks and otherwise, about this thing in China and what we might want to do to get ready for it. The responses and reactions from different people was interesting. One guy has a whole garden set up in his basement with grow lights, shelves, heat mats and keeps a freezer well stocked of all kinds of meats and prepared meals. He cooks all kinds of interesting foods from around the world and is always experimenting with making all kinds of things, such as his own cheeses, breads, sausages and interesting foods. Without ever saying we are preppers, I so got that he was. Other people looked at us like we were crazy and did nothing. I later heard that some people had relatives send them t.p. in the mail, because they just buy one package at a time. I had people say that this is how food shortages happen, people buying more than what they need to eat in a few days. OKay, then. Carry on!

I hoped that the pandemic woke some people up to prepping, and I believe that it probably did for some. I believe that people who were maybe LDS and had not been stock piling began to work on their long term pantries as reported to me by LDS friends. I saw some other groups where people said they had been told to prepare, but had just never bothered to, and where do I start? Beans and rice to start, then begin to fill in the gaps!

While I avoid water in plastic, I do believe it is wise to always have a few cases of it for emergencies. I keep looking for glass 5 gallon jugs (used in brewing) and prefer those for storing water, along with a dispenser. I do have plastic 5 gallon jugs, which I found for free, but I prefer glass for water storage.

Enough for now!

 

[TENNGRIZZ]

Ok this is kinda a current events type thing. I have some friends in our homesteading canning group they have a son who works for one of the best engineer companies in the world. Young man is University educated and definitely doesn't believe in prepping at All. He's extraordinary super woke type. Anyway every department was required to send a rep to a class a few weeks ago. The class was about prepping etc. The scenario was a thousand year flood. And to get things together so that the majority of the companies employees could survive for 90 days in order to rebuild afterwards. Does. " Build back better" sound familiar.? Anyway he's kinda weirded out by this. When his parents told me about it. I was intrigued to say the least. Now I strongly believe that the Corporate higher ups are in the know and in cahoots with the District of Corruption. Folks like us are not on the list for anything but reeducation/work camps. Stay Frosty, Bible and .

 

[angie_nrs]

You'd think that people would be more prepared today considering all the BS that has happened since Biden supposedly took office. If that wasn't a warning shot across the bow to get prepped, I don't know what is.

Yes, even simple things like flashlights get overlooked by those who don't play the 'what if' game. As an example, a 20ish year old guy called me b/c I lived close to where he worked and asked if I could bring him a coat hanger b/c he locked his keys in his car. Sure, no problem. So, I brought the hanger along with a bright headlamp since it was dark out. He thought he could just use his phone flashlight. Well......it's pretty hard to try and manage a coat hanger and hold a cell phone flashlight at the same time, no? He never even considered that, not to mention the fact that his phone light isn't all that bright or that his phone might die. I got a super nice thank you out of the deal. I just hope he learned a lesson, although I doubt it.

Actually due to that experience I now have a coat hanger in my car just in case someone else accidentally locks their keys in the car while I'm out and about. I also have a headlamp stashed in my go bag with fresh batteries instead of just a flashlight, although I have that too.

 

[lonewolf]

one winter I happened to have a conversation with a neighbour walking their dog( I had a dog at the time too but she has passed on since then) and it was a dark morning, she was complaining about the dark, I asked her if she had a flashlight and she said no, and she worked in a filling station shop that sold flashlights! some people!

 

[havasu]

About 30 miles from me is the small mountain towns of Lake Arrowhead, Crestline and Big Bear. This week, we had significant snowfall, making all of the roads impassible. There are thousands of people now stuck up there, many with snow completely covering their houses. So far, 6 homes have exploded due to covered natural gas meters (I didn't know there was such a thing?) several houses have collapsed due to the snow load, many cannot dig out from their covered front doors or windows, and many more suspected deaths because their exhaust vents are now covered, creating a carbon monoxide build up. The only grocery store in the area had its roof completely collapse, and people are starving. The airport is snowed over, so planes cannot land.

our liberal Governor Newscum declared this area a "State of Emergency" and has called in the National Guard. In 4 days, I have only heard of one National Guard helicopter responding, but nothing else. I'm hearing that people want to start flying Ukraine flags, because maybe this would get our senile diaper wearing prezzydent to maybe start sending $Billions of dollars in aid to these thousand plus folks who are starving, stuck, out of medicine, or dying due to carbon monoxide.

I write this to warn everyone to really look at their own stockpiles of food, supplies and medicine. In school, we were taught to prepare for 3 days, which is how long "they" say it would take before the "Calvary" would show up and rescue you. Well, it has been 5 days now, and no help whatsoever.

Are you really prepared?

 

[Morgan101]

I guess because it is so basic to us, and it is an absolute lifestyle, we find it astonishing that people could be so unprepared, doubly so when they have been warned!! I think I would walk out of the house without my pants before I left without a flashlight, pocket knife and lighter. I'm quite sure that I keep more in my car than most people have in their house.

It would be an interesting survey to see how many people learned their lesson. How many of the aforementioned disaster survivors now have some supplies stashed away, and how many are still sheep waiting to jump off a cliff?

 

[Weedygarden]

There are some people who have gotten it, to be better prepared, due to the pandemic alone.

Just this morning, at the dog park, a young man in his early 30's said, "If we learned anything from the pandemic, it is okay to have more than a day or two worth of food and other things at home and to be ready for what might come our way." This is the same guy who a few years ago tried to tell me about bug out bags. I love it! He then proceeds to tell me that right before we went on lock down, his mother, who had previously shopped today for today's food needs, told him to go to the store and buy lots of shelf stable food, such as rice, beans, etc. He learned something and it stuck? He told me he has jars of food at home, such as oatmeal, etc. now. He never did before. I think he used to eat a lot of frozen pizzas, and maybe he still does, but oatmeal is a regular breakfast for him.

Not everyone got it, but if anyone did, it is better. They may not be as prepared as some of us with more than a couple weeks worth of food, but it is still a little better. Could it be even better? Absolutely!

I often give very practical things for stocking stuffers, including flashlights, candles, lighters, whistles, tea bags, hot chocolate packets etc. We have friends over on Christmas eve and they each get a stocking with candies and some of these practical items. One of our friends mentioned a few years ago about how the contents of our Christmas stockings could help out if there were an emergency situation. Yes, that is the purpose and those are items that I have in quantity that I can share.

 

[Amish Heart]

I warned a family in February before covid shut down everything in March. The husband looked at me like I had lost my marbles, when I told him a virus was coming here and they needed to stock up on lots and lots of food to feed their kids. Their two children had been students of mine. He had no idea I was a prepper. Well, he listened. They went to Sams, filled up their truck, and went again. He came over and told me. We were moving to Kansas anyway, so I showed him our stockpile and told him that's what two years looks like. He was glad he did when New Mexico went on total lockdown in March. I swear, that state was worse than New York City. I just saw on their online news yesterday that they've declared in over. Ha Ha.

 

[SoJer]

About 30 miles from me is the small mountain towns of Lake Arrowhead, Crestline and Big Bear. This week, we had ....[snip]

Are you really prepared?

Heh, yep, there's a roiling thread 'over yonder' about this, and One of the resident 'Zommies' over there, was complaining about how people were being 'insensitive' to some 84 yo woman who "needed insulin", and had to be 'saved by people digging for 3hrs just to get to her Door', etc. So, she snarks:

"In the 12 years I have been a member of this forum I have seen every sort of disaster take away everything from those who WERE prepared. And afterwards? Yeah. Many took FEMA relief money. Maybe instead of blogging about their experiences here they should have been booted for being soft and depending on the government. May the odds be forever in your favor."


My 'backhand':
..."Afterwards" is what separates "preppers" from "Survivalists", Darlin'... (and No, that's not 'snoot', that's just the Facts, Jack.. These particular Zommiefornians were Neither.

Love, a former Upstate NYuck'er, who's lived thru Many "brutal Storms", with 10'+ of snow (sometimes 4-5' Overnight..) and "Ice Storms of the Century" / Power / Water / Gas outages, galore.."

Yeah, it's a 'brutal storm', and I'm Not 'deriding the little old Lady', etc, but.. It's not like a 'total, nasty surprise', like a 7.8 Quake at 4am.. You Choose to Winter-vacation or Live in the friggin Sierras? You either Prep - then 'swim'... or Don't, then 'sink'. Either way requires arduous, Ongoing Investment and Effort in Preparation, period.

Swim or sink, it's really that simple.
jd

 

[Weedygarden]

I warned a family in February before covid shut down everything in March. The husband looked at me like I had lost my marbles, when I told him a virus was coming here and they needed to stock up on lots and lots of food to feed their kids. Their two children had been students of mine. He had no idea I was a prepper. Well, he listened. They went to Sams, filled up their truck, and went again. He came over and told me. We were moving to Kansas anyway, so I showed him our stockpile and told him that's what two years looks like. He was glad he did when New Mexico went on total lockdown in March. I swear, that state was worse than New York City. I just saw on their online news yesterday that they've declared in over. Ha Ha.

The pandemic was a time when we could tell people about preparing without seeming as crazy as they would have thought previously. I fully expected my daughter to protest, but she didn't. She went along with it and it saved her, and ultimately it saved me in not having to try to rescue her when it would not have been easy to do so.

Also, when it comes to people not getting it, the need to be prepared, such as our children and relatives, simple gifts at Christmas time can help them be better prepared, such as good flashlights. My main clients get a gift bag from me at Christmas, that always includes treats, but a few other practical things for their pets as well. There are ways of helping people without them truly thinking it is craziness.

Daughter always gets some very practical gifts from me. She is used to it. Sometimes when I am shopping and I see a good deal on something, I will snap a photo and ask if she would like this. Sometimes she will say yes, sometimes not. I try to keep her covered with practical items, not because she cannot afford them, but because I know if she is not prepared, then I am not really prepared either.

 

[Haertig]

most people here dont have flashlights

Around here, you can't take two steps without tripping over a flashlight. Then falling and hitting your head on a gun.

Two of my clients in their 90's didn't have flashlights

My piano teacher was in her late 80's when I found out that while not totally flashlight barren, she did not have any that were easily accessible. When I turned them on, the light that came out was so feeble as to be useless.

So I equipped her walker with a new LED flashlight and got her a holder that would carry that in a specific place. And I got that holder big enough to carry her radio phone as well (she didn't have a cell phone, but did have a landline with wireless handsets). My mom was the same way when she moved up here. She had a flashlight. It looked like one she had purchased from a gas station convenience counter in the 60's. I upgraded mom's flashlight too. And the batteries. Primary lithium cells leak far less than alkalines. More expensive for sure, but the rare leakage combined with long shelf life make them good for elderly people who may not be flashaholics like me.

 

[Caribou]

We were visiting my MIL when there was a problem with the kitchen sink. I was under the sink when my SIL asked me where I found the flashlight. I told her I had it in my pocket. That was the funniest thing she had ever heard. I was doing a job that required a flashlight but I was stupid for having a flashlight. People refuse to learn. There are people that go out and buy batteries just before their annual weather disaster. They buy every battery in the store and then return them when the threat is passed.

Costco bought the Toys-R-Us building next door when they went out of business. When the TP rush happened they had 3 40' container loads in the warehouse. It disappeared in no time flat. Later I saw a sign at the entrance, "No Returns of TP or Rice." If it had been just one or two people they wouldn't have bothered to put up the sign. I was talking to one employee and told him I had no problem with them stocking up, but that if they wanted that much TP then that they should maintain that level. He agreed but by the look on his face I knew this was a new concept. Perhaps I planted a seed.

 

[jazzy]

normalcy bias

some have never had to face any real challenges or dangers so they assume it will never happen to them. kinda like many americans who think war will never come here to our land , its alwasy other there in europe. they just cant comprehend the magnitude of real and potential threats. its just not a real thing to them. i got friends and family like that.

 

[Caribou]

normalcy bias

some have never had to face any real challenges or dangers so they assume it will never happen to them. kinda like many americans who think war will never come here to our land , its alwasy other there in europe. they just cant comprehend the magnitude of real and potential threats. its just not a real thing to them. i got friends and family like that.

These same people don't recognize that we ARE at war. When they do the government will ration again. They don't want us to know that we are at war so they don't ration now.

 

[Haertig]

This is the flashlight I EDC now:

https://www.olightstore.com/i1r-2-pro-keychain-light.html
I have larger, more capable lights in my day carry bag, but this one sits in my pocket. Built-in rechargeable LiION battery using a USB-C connector. 5 lumins on low (12 hours) or 180 lumins on high (25 minutes).

Olight has had these things on sale for free several times over the last two years. Usually, they will send you one for free during one of their many "customer appreciation days". "Customer appreciation" means you created a login on their website. Also, they often have additional ones on sale for $5 each during these customer appreciation days. I picked up at least half a dozen of these things during customer appreciation days - keeping some for myself and giving others away as gifts.

 

[dademoss]

I'm weird . I carry a Fenix E12 clipped in my RH pocket, along with a knife. Other useful items might be found in a small tool pouch, depending on my destination for the day. It continues to amaze me how few people carry a knife of some sort, let alone a flashlight. Of course, most of them aren't carrying a gun either, but it's always better to have it and not need it.

 

[dademoss]

This is the flashlight I EDC now:

https://www.olightstore.com/i1r-2-pro-keychain-light.html
I have larger, more capable lights in my day carry bag, but this one sits in my pocket. Built-in rechargeable LiION battery using a USB-C connector. 5 lumins on low (12 hours) or 180 lumins on high (25 minutes).

Olight has had these things on sale for free several times over the last two years. Usually, they will send you one for free during one of their many "customer appreciation days". "Customer appreciation" means you created a login on their website. Also, they often have additional ones on sale for $5 each during these customer appreciation days. I picked up at least half a dozen of these things during customer appreciation days - keeping some for myself and giving others away as gifts.

I've go one of the Olights on my car keychain

 

[Cabin Fever]

When Covid started, we quickly sent all five of our kid's families the following bulk supplies:
25# old-fashioned rolled oats
25# rice
25# dried black beans

When the supplies arrived, it was a wake-up call for our unprepared kids.

 

[Weedygarden]

When Covid started, we quickly sent all five of our kid's families the following bulk supplies:
25# old-fashioned rolled oats
25# rice
25# dried black beans

When the supplies arrived, it was a wake-up call for our unprepared kids.

Mom and Dad didn't seem so crazy then!

 

[Bacpacker]

This is the flashlight I EDC now:

https://www.olightstore.com/i1r-2-pro-keychain-light.html
I have larger, more capable lights in my day carry bag, but this one sits in my pocket. Built-in rechargeable LiION battery using a USB-C connector. 5 lumins on low (12 hours) or 180 lumins on high (25 minutes).

Olight has had these things on sale for free several times over the last two years. Usually, they will send you one for free during one of their many "customer appreciation days". "Customer appreciation" means you created a login on their website. Also, they often have additional ones on sale for $5 each during these customer appreciation days. I picked up at least half a dozen of these things during customer appreciation days - keeping some for myself and giving others away as gifts.

I'll be ordering one of those lights. I have the same basic light, but it is a USB charge type. 2 power settings. Great little light that you don't even recognize it's in your pocket and on low setting will burn for hours. I have 2 other olights that are somewhat bigger and are every bit as good.

I've talked to my family so much over the years about stocking up on supplies. My parents do a pretty good job with food and such. But never kept any water back. Once in the last few years the water company shut them off my mistake and they had nothing to eat or cook with. Problem was resolved quickly, but I was able to point out how easy that could happen for a long stretch. They now keep multiple case stored. Sis and her family always made fun of the amount of TP I stored. But when covid wiped out supplies, they recognized real quick how having stuff put back was. They are much better supplied now as well. Same with her daughter and SIL. They are mid 20's and are much better supplied than 90% of the population.

 

[Pearl]

We have relatives who live in a suburb of Houston, TX. About 10 years ago, the governor of Texas declared an emergency due to an incoming hurricane (can't remember which one). Did they prepare for the hurricane? No. They had several days to prepare, to fill up the vehicles and gas cans, get bottled water, and travel food. Put they didn't. So, they left Houston along with millions of others. The freeways and multilane highways became parking lots. It was hot and humid, so they ran their car's AC even when sitting still. Eventually, our relatives and hundreds of thousands of other Houstonians were stranded on the highways because they ran out of gas. People were using the road ditches as toilets. People were roaming from car to car asking for food and water. There were screams and people moaning and a few gun shots. When they finally returned home, about a week later, they found rotten food in their refrigerators and freeze. The power was out for several days when they were gone and all the cold and frozen food warmed up and rotted.

Harvey!

 

[Pearl]

I really thought someone in their 90's has lived long enough to know they need a flashlight!!

 

[Weedygarden]

I'll be ordering one of those lights. I have the same basic light, but it is a USB charge type. 2 power settings. Great little light that you don't even recognize it's in your pocket and on low setting will burn for hours. I have 2 other olights that are somewhat bigger and are every bit as good.

I've talked to my family so much over the years about stocking up on supplies. My parents do a pretty good job with food and such. But never kept any water back. Once in the last few years the water company shut them off my mistake and they had nothing to eat or cook with. Problem was resolved quickly, but I was able to point out how easy that could happen for a long stretch. They now keep multiple case stored. Sis and her family always made fun of the amount of TP I stored. But when covid wiped out supplies, they recognized real quick how having stuff put back was. They are much better supplied now as well. Same with her daughter and SIL. They are mid 20's and are much better supplied than 90% of the population.

I do think that COVID communicated the need to be at least a little prepared for some people. We know that it didn't get through for everyone. Honestly, I had t.p., and have been stockpiling that for years, along with food, and other needs. But when daughter saw a couple large bins of t.p. in the garage when we were doing some cleaning out, she groaned. More than once I have just given her one of the large packs of tp from Costco, and she didn't groan then.