# wake up call!



## truecarnage (Apr 25, 2010)

If we could look into the future and see what can and will go wrong in a survival situation oh wait we can!
Just look at current events ( with respect and concern for those who have and are going through it now ) bad storms, tornados, wild fires, blackouts, food shortages and the list goes on.
If this is not a wake up call to get yourself ready then I don't know what is.
Getting ready for these kinds of disasters is the basic premise for what we do as prepers, getting our selves and our families prepared for disaster and devastation both on a physical and social level.
Please keep in mind that lots of these challenges can destroy our homes, and all of our possessions and lay waist to the best made plans. 
Just some thoughts to share and I welcome comments concerns and others views on this topic.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

I definitely had a wake up call this past weekend. We had a lengthy power outage, and when it happened I couldn't put my hands on flashlights with good batteries, or candles, or a non-electric radio.

I said to my family, "I've failed as a prepper." And my 18 year old said, "No Mom, you've just been busy getting ready for armageddon that you forgot to get ready for bad weather." And he's right. I've been thinking about an economic collapse - making sure we have food and drinking water, serviceable clothes, heat for the winter, that sort of thing. Yet being prepared for bad weather is basic - and having all the stuff in the world won't matter if it's not ready for use in a moment's notice. I can't let the fact that we're so busy in the garden eclipse maintaining simple things such as keeping working batteries in the flashlights.

Always more to do....


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## tac803 (Nov 21, 2010)

Goshengirl, 

you didn't fail, you learned a valuable lession that won't soon be forgotten. Don't beat yourself up over it...you're already way ahead of the curve!


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## truecarnage (Apr 25, 2010)

I to think that I'm being prepared but what if I came home and my house was gone via a fire, flood, tornado or what ever I'd be sitting there with my small b.o.b. in the trunk of my car wondering what now?


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

truecarnage said:


> I to think that I'm being prepared but what if I came home and my house was gone via a fire, flood, tornado or what ever I'd be sitting there with my small b.o.b. in the trunk of my car wondering what now?


Ditto - guess that's why some have bol's and cache. Unfortunately, we don't. Still need to figure that out.


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## TheAnt (Jun 7, 2011)

truecarnage said:


> I to think that I'm being prepared but what if I came home and my house was gone via a fire, flood, tornado or what ever I'd be sitting there with my small b.o.b. in the trunk of my car wondering what now?


This is why mental/spiritual preps are the most important. You cant be physically prepared for everything... you can be spiritual prepared for anything. Life has a way of never turning out the way we planned and prepared.


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## db2469 (Jun 11, 2012)

goshengirl said:


> I definitely had a wake up call this past weekend. We had a lengthy power outage, and when it happened I couldn't put my hands on flashlights with good batteries, or candles, or a non-electric radio.
> 
> I said to my family, "I've failed as a prepper." And my 18 year old said, "No Mom, you've just been busy getting ready for armageddon that you forgot to get ready for bad weather." And he's right. I've been thinking about an economic collapse - making sure we have food and drinking water, serviceable clothes, heat for the winter, that sort of thing. Yet being prepared for bad weather is basic - and having all the stuff in the world won't matter if it's not ready for use in a moment's notice. I can't let the fact that we're so busy in the garden eclipse maintaining simple things such as keeping working batteries in the flashlights.
> 
> Always more to do....


Thanks...a lesson we can all learn from! It's not easy to prepare for many different types of emergency situations, they each have some things in common but other things unique to each type of disaster as well..
DB


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

truecarnage said:


> I to think that I'm being prepared but what if I came home and my house was gone via a fire, flood, tornado or what ever I'd be sitting there with my small b.o.b. in the trunk of my car wondering what now?


My ex lost everything (but what was in his car) in an apartment fire. I've thought about that experience a lot because what I noticed was that it was amazingly easy to get over losing 'stuff.' (This happened not too long after our divorce, and he had many items that were personal to me and to our boys). In fact, I was really shocked at how easy it was to get over losing stuff. The main thing was that the boys had not been at his place when this happened. Stuff can be replaced, people cannot.

That said, I've thought about this more since starting prepping. Prepping stuff is different than sentimental stuff - it's geared to help you survive. Losing that is different. So how do you handle losing that? I think Ant's response is on target. And I also think that those who work on skills are also on target - knowledge and skills will survive a fire or tornado. I also think the mentality of a survivalist (instead of a prepper) also helps - the ability to survive with a light load.

In my ex's case, people lined up to help and donations were through the roof (the fire was two days before Christmas and displaced 50 households). Now it makes me feel uncomfortable to think of being dependent on the generosity of others - being a prepper is about being self-sufficient, and that's in conflict with being dependent.

But the bottom line is that prepping is grounded in reality - the knowledge that life isn't always rosey is why we prep in the first place. If you found you lost everything but what's in your car, it would totally suck, but you'd do fine. You'd move on, and build up again. Because you'd have no other choice - you can't undo a disaster, so you do what you have to do.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

goshengirl said:


> I definitely had a wake up call this past weekend. We had a lengthy power outage, and when it happened I couldn't put my hands on flashlights with good batteries, or candles, or a non-electric radio...
> being prepared for bad weather is basic - and having all the stuff in the world won't matter if it's not ready for use in a moment's notice. I can't let the fact that we're so busy in the garden eclipse maintaining simple things such as keeping working batteries in the flashlights.
> 
> Always more to do....


Adapt and overcome.

We were tested last fall as well. Don't know if you saw it or remember it but here is the quick version of our experience.

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f2/found-some-holes-8106/


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

goshengirl said:


> My ex lost everything (but what was in his car) in an apartment fire. I've thought about that experience a lot because what I noticed was that it was amazingly easy to get over losing 'stuff.' (This happened not too long after our divorce, and he had many items that were personal to me and to our boys). In fact, I was really shocked at how easy it was to get over losing stuff. The main thing was that the boys had not been at his place when this happened. Stuff can be replaced, people cannot.
> 
> That said, I've thought about this more since starting prepping. Prepping stuff is different than sentimental stuff - it's geared to help you survive. Losing that is different. So how do you handle losing that? I think Ant's response is on target. And I also think that those who work on skills are also on target - knowledge and skills will survive a fire or tornado. I also think the mentality of a survivalist (instead of a prepper) also helps - the ability to survive with a light load.
> 
> ...


some people help because they can, some help because they have been there and want to return the "favor", some help because they see a need and are willing to part with the little they have (preppers) knowing one day they may need help, some want to show off "look what I did".
even as a prepper we all need help. thats why we are in this forum. getting help with our problems from others who have been where we are. to all who help, thanks. to those I help, your welcome. to the others, thanks for listening, sharing a laugh, and giving a shoulder to lean on.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

Goshengirl, I could see that happening to us. My boy will be 4 in a few weeks and a lot of his toys take batteries. More than once I've gone to get batteries from the drawer and there were no AA or AAA, etc. 

Truecarnage, learning from the experiences and mistakes of others is invaluable. If we don't learn from our surroundings then history is doomed to repeat itself.


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## kyhoti (Nov 16, 2008)

Ditto here on the battery front. I just had a long talk with my tech-geek brother-in-law about batteries and such. He's pretty smart about DC power supplies, and we chatted about a small solar installation for some 12-volt LED shop lights and a battery trickle charger. He said that Rayovac makes a charging rack for multiple size batteries as well as Adapters that allow AA batteries to be used in C or D cell items. This may be my next shop install project with the caveat that they are only used for our "special" gear, not the dadgum video games etc.


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## Momturtle (Nov 2, 2009)

I love my solar battery chargers - we have several and a bunch of rechargeable batteries - thing is, some things are made that will not run on rechargeable batteries, at least not for long. Mostly we use them for our LED maglights - they work great for those and with the elastic maglite holders - instant head lights. Multiple uses. I like to have things that don't require any type of electricity or fuel to run.

These power outages at the hight of a heat wave are kind of like a practice run aren't they? We have a little list of things we wish we had when it happened but fortunately it is a pretty small list which makes me pretty happy.


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## cengasser (Mar 12, 2012)

If a lesson was learned and a weakness becomes a strength; no harm done.
Better to realize it now than in a SHTF situation. 
We were discussing the storms ourselves and this weekend it's off for a generator. We realize that long term they are only good for as long as you can supply the gas for it. But short term like these storms, we can save a couple of freezers worth of food.
With the addition of the generator I believe we are marking a milestone in our preps. We stared in Feburary and we have enough supplies to feed and water 4 of us (all adults) for 2 weeks. 
They dogs have been accounted for as far as food. For water we have a pool and a small pond that they seem to like to drink from anyway. So as far as water, they are hooked up as well.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

truecarnage said:


> If we could look into the future and see what can and will go wrong in a survival situation oh wait we can!
> Just look at current events ( with respect and concern for those who have and are going through it now ) bad storms, tornados, wild fires, blackouts, food shortages and the list goes on.
> If this is not a wake up call to get yourself ready then I don't know what is.
> Getting ready for these kinds of disasters is the basic premise for what we do as prepers, getting our selves and our families prepared for disaster and devastation both on a physical and social level.
> ...


What I have done about the lighting situation is that I purchased "night-lights" that have a built-in charging system - a mini emergency light similar to what you see in many commercial buildings. I have these placed in key-areas of the house where they will come on at night. One resides in the kitchen, another resides near the back-door, another resides near the front-door, etc. I have also have placed mag-lights in holders near major door-ways through-out the house around the door-handle height.

I also went another level by purchasing solar-powered garden-lights and placed them into some windows. Makes some nice lighting in normal situations and works well as lighting in non-normal situations. If it is something there normally, neighbors wouldn't think anything of it in non-normal situations .... know what I mean?


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## Nadja (Jan 12, 2011)

*AA and AAA Batteries*



Jason said:


> Goshengirl, I could see that happening to us. My boy will be 4 in a few weeks and a lot of his toys take batteries. More than once I've gone to get batteries from the drawer and there were no AA or AAA, etc.
> 
> Truecarnage, learning from the experiences and mistakes of others is invaluable. If we don't learn from our surroundings then history is doomed to repeat itself.


Buy a decent battery charger and get Sanyo Eneloop batteries as needed. They are great, and will save you a bunch of money in the long run.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I use the solar path lights all the time during power outages. My older ones hold two AA batteries and charge enuf for me during one day to run the small old radio I have and the little LED flashlights. plus if you have mason jars like I do(they are everywhere and do almost everything haha) you put a piece of folded tin foil in the bottom and take just the black light/solar part off the path lights and they sit right on top of a mason jar.. instant little lamps. great for kids during power outages as you are now worrying about candles and toddlers. and by the time they start to go out( about midnight or so) the littles are sleeping anyways.
The ones from the dollar tree stores hold a rechargeable AAA battery.. I have plenty of them all over the yard and they tend to stay lit out in the yard till 3am! and I've used three of them to charge all day and then pop out the AAA and put them in one of our other flashlights(LED) worked fine.

This is almost verbatum what I told a friend online that was hit in Virgina by these storms and not totally prepared. they made due but she asked me many many questions when they finally got power back and she had a minute to rest and got online to chat. Lucky for them they only lost power not any trees or their home. She had not thought about a generator and they lost a half full freezer of stuff. There are big DC to AC amps that you can plug your freezers into.. I have a small one but as someone here said(and it did it too) the start up on a big freezer popped the fuse on my small one. I am saving the $80 to $100 to buy the big 1000watt one. You clamp it onto your car batter run the engine and a good hour a day should keep your freezer frozen. 
I am also thinking of a smaller fridge for our camper (my mother has one of these types) a small fridge/freezer that runs either on electric or propane.. we had a propane freezer and propane fridge in our hunting cabin and they work very nice. Great back up.
We also have a coleman cooler that plugs into car outlet and keeps thing nice and cold. we drag that out every time we lose power for more than 5 or so hours.. Sure Post SHTF this will only work for as long as we have gas or even solar panels but for these small mini SHTF they do wonders.


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## netandtim (Oct 8, 2008)

Momturtle said:


> I love my solar battery chargers - we have several


Momturtle - we've just been looking at solar battery chargers. Care to share what kind you have (or a link)? Always nice to get accurate reviews from similar minded folks! 
Net


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## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

goshengirl said:


> I definitely had a wake up call this past weekend.


We are lucky we get snowed in without power a few months of the year. Gives us a chance to sit back relax and see if all our gear it working as planned


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

All batteries in our house are rechargables. I encourage the kids to use them in their toys and such and we have both plug in rechargers but also the solar rechargers. I am getting them into the habit of changing out the batteries and placing them in chargers.

We also have solar rechargers for the droids, phones, kindles, and of course the laptop.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

I have been having real hit-and-miss luck with various solar path lights... so I have abandoned using them on a large scale, though I still have a half dozen that can be picked up and brought inside for mini "lanterns" (the jar and foil trick is awesome!)

I am definitely into rechargeable batteries the whole way. 
Instead of charging the AA and AAA batteries in path lights (there are good reasons to not do this if long battery life is concerned, due to undercharging) I have instead switched to several 120 volt wall outlet battery chargers, and have bought additional chargers that work from 12 volts, like a lighter plug in a car. I trust my 12 volt solar panels far more than my little path lights to charge the batteries well.

ALSO - make sure you buy some LED lights that run off of 12 volts directly. I have bought some on eBay from a seller named whats_up_sun that sells great 12 volt powered LED MR16 and MR11 bulbs that will light up the whole room and run for weeks on a marine/car battery! http://www.ebay.com/itm/390344946487


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

LincTex said:


> I have been having real hit-and-miss luck with various solar path lights... so I have abandoned using them on a large scale, though I still have a half dozen that can be picked up and brought inside for mini "lanterns" (the jar and foil trick is awesome!)
> 
> I am definitely into rechargeable batteries the whole way.
> Instead of charging the AA and AAA batteries in path lights (there are good reasons to not do this if long battery life is concerned, due to undercharging) I have instead switched to several 120 volt wall outlet battery chargers, and have bought additional chargers that work from 12 volts, like a lighter plug in a car. I trust my 12 volt solar panels far more than my little path lights to charge the batteries well.
> ...


I have to say that for my AA batteries the very first solar path light I have work the best and they hold two of the AA batteries. But the AAA batteries.. the best ones so far are from the Dollar Tree stores.. I KNOW RIGHT! They have one AAA battery and I have them right here under my front windows and those little cheap babies are still lit at 3am sometimes. and they light reliably after cloudy or partly cloudy days. The little ones that I got at meijer stores for a $1.50 have what looks to be a halfAA sized cell in them and of the 6 I got as gifts from my grandchildren last year for gramma day three of them will not work any longer.. the solar panel works as I can get a reading on them but the Joule thief circuit board is bad. These are the ones I want to use in my solar dehydrator to help move the air.. I have several small computer fans and mixed with the solar heating panels and these little fans it should be fairly easy to adjust the air flow and heat coming thru the box.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Emerald said:


> three of them will not work any longer.. the solar panel works as I can get a reading on them but the Joule thief circuit board is bad.


You could make something that would work with very little effort.

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f16/great-diy-solar-battery-charger-small-cells-12375/


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