Survival . . . fire and light

**Alacrity59** · 03-29-2010, 07:35 PM

I'm probably somewhat guilty of somewhat thinking that nothing bad happens for too long and life will go on. But from time to time I do try to lay in some supplies. I just bought some more white gas for my coleman stove and lantern . . . I've had these things for years . . . they hiss burp pop and sputter but they are very reliable . . . three new mantles for the lantern as well. I try to have a couple of cases of water bottles on hand.

Sometimes this stuff pays off . . . my parents made it though the ice storm in Quebec in 98 where power was off for several weeks using a camp stove I left behind . . . and being crusty (both passed away now).

My wife and I have had power and water go out for quite a long time in 2003 . . . ours took a bit longer to get back . . . water was out longer than power as a water main poofed at the same time.

So . . . here it is . . . my question. What do you keep on hand?

**impulseballer** · 03-29-2010, 07:38 PM

Led flashlights and maybe a few canned goods. But I'm 24 and live in an apartment with my fiance so we don't have room for much else lol.

Oh and usually a case or two of water.

**luvmysuper** · 03-29-2010, 07:45 PM

Water, blankets, safety matches and a Hand Crank Flashlight and Radio.
No white gas stove, but I figure if it gets really bad, I'll just go take one from a guy who doesn't wear Lilac Vegetal.

**impulseballer** · 03-29-2010, 07:46 PM

luckily my stove is gas as well and i do keep lighters handy

**The Nid Hog** · 03-29-2010, 07:48 PM

I have every volume of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series, a shelf full of Aqua Velva and Old Spice, and a case of bourbon. Beyond that, God will provide.

**pb300** · 03-29-2010, 07:49 PM

It may sound weird, but having a pool is invalueable if the water stops running. You can use it to bathe, clean, cool off, and most important of all...flush toliets. Proved very useful during all the hurricanes a few years back.

I don't have much in my apartment but if need be I can go to the grocery store I used to work at and get whatever I need. They have generators big enough to power the entire strip mall.

**impulseballer** · 03-29-2010, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by The Nid Hog

I have every volume of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series, a shelf full of Aqua Velva and Old Spice, and a case of bourbon. Beyond that, God will provide.

hahah love it....

**Alacrity59** · 03-29-2010, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by pb300

It may sound weird, but having a pool is invalueable if the water stops running. You can use it to bathe, clean, cool off, and most important of all...flush toliets. Proved very useful during all the hurricanes a few years back.

I don't have much in my apartment but if need be I can go to the grocery store I used to work at and get whatever I need. They have generators big enough to power the entire strip mall.

My wife and I avoided flushing when we had no water but we actually flushed one twice with bottled water.

**jlanger** · 03-29-2010, 08:05 PM

I generally keep a good amount of food on hand, mostly dry goods, i.e. beans/rice which will do in a pinch until I can get some more meat and other foods.

As for other stuff, a few LED lights and headlamps, my Cold Steel Bushman knives (lol) a pair of Winchester 94's and a cheap hand crank radio.
Most of the "survival" stuff I keep around is dual purpose, and other then the radio will most likely get used fairly frequently.
Thinking about picking up an AK just in case of a SHTF situation, and possibly some water purification systems/either chemical i.e. iodine or filter based. I think

I can live without electricity, I have enough matches to last me till kingdom come plus my zippo (and lots of fluid) so I think I could start a fire if need be. There's always the 9 volt battery and steel wool trick too. Also have lots of cold weather gear that gets used for hunting and cold weather stuff up here, so winter power outages don't worry me too much other then the fact that a lot of my freezer food would be lost.

**Walter Sobchak** · 03-29-2010, 08:12 PM

I live in an area that loses power frequently and sometimes for 24+ hours. I have a 6 Kilowatt Generator (with at least 5 gallons of fresh gas at all times) to keep the water pumping and fridge cold, multiple camp lanterns, a propane 'wood' stove, a propane cook stove, and at least a week's supply of backup propane and non-perishable food at all times.

That pretty much covers all our needs.

I never used to worry too much about these things, but I now have small children and have been faced with having no power for a couple of days at a time in both cold and hot weather. It's no fun if you're not prepared.

**Mr_Amazing** · 03-29-2010, 09:35 PM

I have a flashlight and a cooler. Generally speaking, the power goes out a couple times a year during storms and is back up and running within 12 hours. A worst case scenario involves getting ice from the store and packing up the items that must remain cold.

There was a time where for a week the gas line was frozen because a water main broke and flooded it. Instead of going to a hotel, my father decided it would be better to just obtain space heaters and have them going all day long (his brain doesn't acknowledge rational thoughts).

**Confuzius** · 03-30-2010, 06:53 AM

The little extra storage space we have in our apartment is dedicated to backpacking and camping gear. Stove, fuel, various degrees of shelter, non-perishable food, water filter, first aid supplies, rope, etc, etc... We're pretty much set for anything should the need arise.

On the odd chance that something of a survivalist's wet dream happens, my good buddy lives at and is the head caretaker for the local mall, he's got all the internal and external keys, including all of the stores and there is a massive generator there. Another one of my good friends who lives across the hall from me works at the closest gas station and has keys to the pumps and underground reservoir. Between our pooled resources and various skill sets, our group of friends are set.

I was 15 during the ice storm, we were out of power for a few days, my parents had a wood stove and wood furnace, we'd occasionally crank the circulating pump by hand. Combined with all the camping gear we were more than comfortable.

**BCatl** · 03-30-2010, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by The Nid Hog

I have every volume of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series, a shelf full of Aqua Velva and Old Spice, and a case of bourbon. Beyond that, God will provide.

I heard an expert on TV say the same thing for what to do in a prolonged disaster, at least on the booze part! The suggestion was that while everyone else was out standing in line to buy the typical supplies, the smart man would buy a case of liquor.

With the liquor, you could trade for whatever else you needed. It's like the gold of the surivor world. Besides, it's good for drinking too.

**BrianL** · 03-30-2010, 10:06 AM

I have a layer of fat that will last me for weeks without food.

**Walter Sobchak** · 03-30-2010, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by BrianL

I have a layer of fat that will last me for weeks without food.

Nice. Better hide yourself from the hordes.

**ofelas** · 04-02-2010, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by BrianL

I have a layer of fat that will last me for weeks without food.

Originally Posted by Walter Sobchak

Nice. Better hide yourself from the hordes.

That's quite the visual..

**Bertilak** · 04-02-2010, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Walter Sobchak

I have a 6 Kilowatt Generator (with at least 5 gallons of fresh gas at all times) ...

I used to live in New York State and, as is usual in that area, had oil heat. I believe heating oil is the same thing as diesel fuel and was contemplating getting a deisel powered generator and hooking it up to my oil tank. I figured that it would give me as good as an unlimited fuel supply for the generator, the fuel would always be fresh, and the generator could power the oil burner for heat and hot water. Water was supplied by a well whose pump would also be powered by the generator.

Does anyone have such a set up? Does it make sense? Any reason it wouldn't work?

I now live in Texas and have a 250 gallon LP tank. Maybe there are LP powered generators.

**Nishnabotna** · 04-02-2010, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by Robert Paulsen

I used to live in New York State and, as is usual in that area, had oil heat. I believe heating oil is the same thing as diesel fuel and was contemplating getting a deisel powered generator and hooking it up to my oil tank. I figured that it would give me as good as an unlimited fuel supply for the generator, the fuel would always be fresh, and the generator could power the oil burner for heat and hot water. Water was supplied by a well whose pump would also be powered by the generator.

Does anyone have such a set up? Does it make sense? Any reason it wouldn't work?

I now live in Texas and have a 250 gallon LP tank. Maybe there are LP powered generators.

I dohn't think that Deisel and heating fuel are the same thing, I'm not sure if they would transfer well.
There are LP powered generators, but I've always heard they are the worst for maintenance since the LP is nonlubricating (compared to deisel). OTOH, it's not like they won't work and 250 gal of LP on site is nice to have. I have no direct experience, so take that for what it's worth.

**airplanedoc** · 04-02-2010, 06:20 PM

Both Hone heating oil and Diesel fuel are #2 Distillate so they are essentially the same thing, There are most likely some additives different, but either should burn in a diesel engine.