# Preparedness: How much is enough?



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

This is an article from a very popular gun blog. It's been awhile since I have seen a prepping article on any of them so I thought it was worth posting, even though I don't agree in full with all of his assertions. I see prepping on the rise again and the appearance of these and other articles seems to confirm that.












> Preparedness for contingencies goes a long way to turning chaos into mere inconveniences. Finding one's self unprepared when life throws you a curveball sucks. Hopefully, like many TTAG readers, you maintain some level of readiness for emergencies. If so, congrats. The question quickly becomes how much is enough though when it comes to ammo, food and water?
> 
> First off, rugged independence made America great. More importantly, by maintaining your own preparedness, you become part of the recovery after an emergency, instead of part of the problem. The more Americans prepare for emergencies and disasters, the faster the recovery will take place.
> 
> ...


http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2017/08/john-boch/preparedness-much-enough/


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## cqp33 (Apr 2, 2012)

Funny the Mrs. and I were just on the porch talking about how things are getting more hyped up and people are coming more unhinged. Not saying it is coming to a SHTF moment just saying we pretty much operate on a prep scale at our house so to say. 10 is TEOTWAWKI, 1 is love peace and happiness so to say! 9 is get everything we don't have or anything that might be of use and hunker down awaiting 10, you get the picture. We assessed us at a 6 tonight, to use that meant check the get home bags in the vehicles, made sure our water system is ready for isolation from the city water with a several thousand gallon reserve ready to go, tomorrow I am topping off the 250 gallon diesel tank and the 100 gallon gas tank with 100% gas.


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## Flight1630 (Jan 4, 2017)

The article talked about getting hollow point bullets. Why those ones and not none hollow point. What would be the difference and does it really matter what kind?


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Flight1630 said:


> The article talked about getting hollow point bullets. Why those ones and not none hollow point. What would be the difference and does it really matter what kind?


Under ideal conditional hollow points will mushroom inside humans creating an expanded wound cavity, which equates to more internal damage and a greater likelihood of the person being nonfunctional (i.e. dead or disabled). A non-HP bullet tend to just zip straight through causing damage but a much smaller wound cavity. Both can kill but the HP is inherently more efficient at it. The HP is also less likely to overpenetrate and hit a second target after it leaves a human body.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Eating while others are starving*

This article speaks to many things that I have thought about over the years.

If you think you can cook and feed your family while others are starving, guess again. If you as a parent had starving children and you were starving, you would go to great lengths to do what you could to provide for them.

One of my preps is wheat. I have a few options to grind the wheat. Then what? Bread! Try to bake bread and see what happens. People will smell it from afar, especially if they are starving. Won't that just put a target on me? Imagine a few people gathering and working together to get some of that bread.

I once had a cake leftover from a group at church, and as I walked out of church with the leftovers, people became hysterical about getting a piece of that cake. No one was starving, but it left an impression on me that I will never forget.

That is why I believe being in an isolated setting is safer than being close to starving people for this reason. But being in an isolated setting could make it easier for someone to approach and attack.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

I got half way through the story and what I took away was that short term preps are fine but anything longer is bad because it will make you a target......

As for cooking smells, when things start getting hairy any type of fire will attract attention. Why have a fire if you don't have food, right? That's why we have the dehydrated foods and a small propane burner. No cooking smells and very little "food" smell.

As for being a target, everyone is a target when people have starving children.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

weedygarden said:


> This article speaks to many things that I have thought about over the years.
> 
> If you think you can cook and feed your family while others are starving, guess again. If you as a parent had starving children and you were starving, you would go to great lengths to do what you could to provide for them.
> 
> ...


You're right, that's exactly the way people are.

I worked a "buffalo wing feed" once. It was a charity event where several restaurants made up and donated hundreds and hundreds of hot wings and for $10 you could fill up a paper plate and have either a soda or a beer. The proceeds went to the family of an officer who was killed in the line of duty. When the event was done there were approx. 10 of us on clean up duty and at least 200+ leftover buffalo wings (and a box of ziplock bags). You would have thought it was the last food we were ever going to get. A couple of the guys were trying to fill up bags to put in there cars while a couple of other guys were demanding they divide them up evenly. So stupid. I just went home and left the whole mess behind. To this day when we bring or donate food for an event we will only use disposable pans or containers and we just leave it behind.

In a post-SHTF world you will have to be able to defend what is yours or it will no longer be yours.


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## NHPrepper2 (Jun 2, 2012)

Well, they wouldn't approve of my storage.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

NHPrepper2 said:


> Well, they wouldn't approve of my storage.


Mine either.


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## sewingcreations15 (Aug 19, 2017)

Re weedygarden's and others food comments. I worked as a function waitress years ago for high end business people's functions. Once we didn't have the cutlery out and they arrived early and they were eating with their hands and fighting over the food on the tables. We were all risking life and limb to try and get them away from the table until the cutlery arrived. Just imagine what that would be like in a SHTF scenario and everyone was like that.

Give me living in the country anytime for survival chances rather than the cities.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

Sentry18 said:


> Under ideal conditional hollow points will mushroom inside humans creating an expanded wound cavity, which equates to more internal damage and a greater likelihood of the person being nonfunctional (i.e. dead or disabled). A non-HP bullet tend to just zip straight through causing damage but a much smaller wound cavity. Both can kill but the HP is inherently more efficient at it. The HP is also less likely to overpenetrate and hit a second target after it leaves a human body.


I would expect that the hollow point round instantly incapacitates the victim. Standard rounds will create a fatal wound but the perp could still give you fatal wounds before they die.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

There's a lot to look at from the article but I have to disagree with the idea that we'll be safe in our homes for the first few weeks. I think it'll be dangerous after the first couple of days. Once it becomes clear that the power isn't going on again anytime soon, if ever.

I don't think people will notice cooking smells from our house. We won't be frying bacon with the windows open. We'll be heating up canned food with the doors and windows closed regardless of the outside temperature. 

I think some people will get together in extended family groups in homes with fireplaces. They can divide up tasks so some people can hunt while others cut wood or get water.

It should be noted that less than 5% of the population is prepping but, depending on where you live, up to half the population is armed. That will make it dangerous once people run out of food.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

BillS said:


> There's a lot to look at from the article but I have to disagree with the idea that we'll be safe in our homes for the first few weeks. I think it'll be dangerous after the first couple of days. Once it becomes clear that the power isn't going on again anytime soon, if ever.
> 
> I don't think people will notice cooking smells from our house. We won't be frying bacon with the windows open. We'll be heating up canned food with the doors and windows closed regardless of the outside temperature.
> 
> ...


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

http://www.survivaldan101.com/during-the-collapse-moral-obligation/

I read this today and I kinda agree with it.
I have years of storage, and I hope and pray I can barter security for things when TSHTF.
If not, I don't have enough ammo to save it.


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## LastOutlaw (Jun 1, 2013)

terri9630 said:


> I got half way through the story and what I took away was that short term preps are fine but anything longer is bad because it will make you a target......
> 
> As for cooking smells, when things start getting hairy any type of fire will attract attention. Why have a fire if you don't have food, right? That's why we have the dehydrated foods and a small propane burner. No cooking smells and very little "food" smell.
> 
> As for being a target, everyone is a target when people have starving children.


Having a few cases of MREs are a good idea because of this issue. With 2 cases a person could stay alive for about a month without ever building a fire and still have hot meals. Just have to have some water for the heater.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

LastOutlaw said:


> Having a few cases of MREs are a good idea because of this issue. With 2 cases a person could stay alive for about a month without ever building a fire and still have hot meals. Just have to have some water for the heater.


We have some MRE's but more dehydrated stuff because of the shelf life. A small propane burner and a pot of water won't attract noses attached to empty bellies.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

terri9630 said:


> We have some MRE's but more dehydrated stuff because of the shelf life. A small propane burner and a pot of water won't attract noses attached to empty bellies.


That's me as well. MRE's just don't have the shelf life so I never have more than a couple cases in my preps. Ditto that with ration bars, which last about as long as MRE's. But I have LOTS of Augason Farms 30-day dehydrated food bucket.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Sentry18 said:


> That's me as well. MRE's just don't have the shelf life so I never have more than a couple cases in my preps. Ditto that with ration bars, which last about as long as MRE's. But I have LOTS of Augason Farms 30-day dehydrated food bucket.


I have lots of Augason Farms and Emergency Essential stuff but I don't have any of the buckets. To many things we wont or can't eat. I buy the ingredients and use my own recipes. It's nice not having to cut up onions.


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## tmttactical (Nov 23, 2015)

JayJay said:


> http://www.survivaldan101.com/during-the-collapse-moral-obligation/
> 
> I read this today and I kinda agree with it.
> I have years of storage, and I hope and pray I can barter security for things when TSHTF.
> If not, I don't have enough ammo to save it.


I read the article and I agree with the author. I applaud you having years of storage. Do not let anybody know you have it. Since you can't protect it, you cannot afford to let anybody know you have enough to barter security. That would indicate you have more than just a few days worth of supplies. If you have enough for a month for two, (you and the guard) that is two months for one (your security). just my 2 cents.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

terri9630 said:


> I have lots of Augason Farms and Emergency Essential stuff but I don't have any of the buckets. To many things we wont or can't eat. I buy the ingredients and use my own recipes. It's nice not having to cut up onions.


The first thing thing I did when I decided to prep was buy a couple of the buckets. They were cheap, easy, stackable and included a water filter. Then it just became a thing to buy a couple more every month until we filled a room with 'em. My family is pretty much free of food allergies or sensitivities, so I figure post-SHTF they will eat whatever we have. But in 20 or so years when they start reaching the end of their shelf life I am either going to be eating a whole freaking lot of dehydrated food or I am going to be selling off food buckets for pennies on the dollar.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Caribou said:


> If you donate it to a shelter or food bank you can write it off.


They can't take expired food.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Caribou said:


> If you donate it to a shelter or food bank you can write it off.


That's a great idea! I will just wait until they hit the 24 year mark and donate them to the food pantry. Expiration date is right on the bucket and as long as they are not expired I can't see it being a problem. If it is I am betting I can donate the to a boy scout troup or something.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

tmttactical said:


> I read the article and I agree with the author. I applaud you having years of storage. Do not let anybody know you have it. Since you can't protect it, you cannot afford to let anybody know you have enough to barter security. That would indicate you have more than just a few days worth of supplies. If you have enough for a month for two, (you and the guard) that is two months for one (your security). just my 2 cents.


\Oh, heck, that boat sailed the first year I started stocking food cans in 2008/2009.
My neighbor said she was doing it--her a**hole husband said, no you're not!!
And then uses that topic for conversation to all on this street (two new neighbors told me first thing he said about me).
I have considered moving, lots of equity, but I like my house with two bedrooms of stored 'stuff' and will stay here.
There are just no small houses in this area --either need too much work or are not priced right for us, or too large--
I pray for guidance a lot--God will speak when time.

*Everyone here seems to be savvy and knowing in these storing/stocking subjects, so I ask this:
Is it practical to vacuum seal in mason jars those huge buckets/pails of commercial freeze dried foods or will the vacuum loss when opened be major liability??*


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

JayJay said:


> Is it practical to vacuum seal in mason jars those huge buckets/pails of commercial freeze dried foods or will the vacuum loss when opened be major liability??


The first several Augason Farms buckets I purchased were from a very reputable military surplus / survival goods store. They told me not to open the buckets for any reason until I was ready to use them. IIRC they said they were nitrogen filled to extend shelf life to the maximum. I pulled one open once to taste the food, check out the contents, etc. otherwise I just leave 'em be.


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## sewingcreations15 (Aug 19, 2017)

Sentry18 I would be gradually using the Auguson Farm buckets you have stored starting with the one you have opened and then replacing them with fresh stocks so you have a variety of use by dates on them  for when and if the SHTF. That way you are assured of fresh food stocks to eat. Also you and your family members really have to find out if you like to eat them as well so as not to get food shock later when you will need the food.

We eat a lot of dehydrated foods here and just rotate through them.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Sewingcreations15, I vacuum seal everything in glass jars and the only thing I've found that doesn't last is crackers. When I open a can of long term stuff I put it right in a half gallon jar and seal. Every time I open the jar and remove the food I re vacuum seal what is left. Just a word of caution, if you jar up something in a package, like jello pudding mix..... the packs can and will explode in the jar.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

sewingcreations15 said:


> Sentry18 I would be gradually using the Auguson Farm buckets you have stored starting with the one you have opened and then replacing them with fresh stocks so you have a variety of use by dates on them  for when and if the SHTF. That way you are assured of fresh food stocks to eat. Also you and your family members really have to find out if you like to eat them as well so as not to get food shock later when you will need the food.
> 
> We eat a lot of dehydrated foods here and just rotate through them.


While that is how many preppers go about it and I respect the philosophy; I don't participate in the "store what you eat and eat what you store" system. I eat very low carb, little to no sugar or grains, whole foods only, lots of healthy fats, lots of fresh meats and lots of fresh organic vegetables. These things are not so easy or inexpensive to prep. If the world however goes to hell in a handbasket I will eat whatever is available, in this case several room-long rows floor-ceiling of dehydrated foods, MRE's, ration bars and whatever the Mrs. has canned. We opened the one bucket just to make sure we could physically tolerate the food, and we could. But as I tend to say: when your choices come down to grilled dumpster rat or dehydrated beef stroganoff suddenly the dehydrated beef stroganoff will seem like fine dining at a 5 star restaurant. In the words of Anne Sexton "...a starving man does not ask what the meal is."


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## sewingcreations15 (Aug 19, 2017)

terri9630 thanks for the info much appreciated. 

We will vacuum seal in a jar when we buy our home where we will have more room. At the moment we are in a teensy workers cottage of 100sqm in size total and that includes 3 bedrooms. I probably would do that in meal sized portions in our food grade plastic heat sealed and then put in plastic storage buckets. We have a lot of food storage we can fit in here only because we stack in 10lt food grade storage containers because of limited space.

Good thing you warned me about the pudding mixes in packages though, so best to unpack them out of the bags and into another one prior to storage  .

Good to hear we are not the only ones who have experimental food prepping adventures in both successes and gee I could have done that a better way results. To us all the experiments that don't work quite as planned are just another way we found that something doesn't work and brings us closer to a way that does.


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## sewingcreations15 (Aug 19, 2017)

Hi Sentry18 and fully appreciate your organic and little sugar and carbs diet too we are similar and have 200sqm of vegetable herb and berry gardens here so go and pick things fresh to eat or if in abundance blanch and freeze due to lack of space in the cottage. I do also agree that dehydrating is both time consuming and expensive in power too. 

We tend to look at traditional sun drying methods or hanging herbs upside down in a well ventilated area in brown paper bags. In the cottage we have neither room for a food dehydrator or food preserving jars or canning equipment.

Like you MRE's would be a go to if other items ran out. Glad you have tried them too and you all can eat them if and when you may need it too.


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## sewingcreations15 (Aug 19, 2017)

Caribou we also work on storing the components of a meal but also have canned goods as a backup too. Because we grow our own vegetables in the example of corn we can eat it fresh, sun dried and rehydrated for meals, from the freezer blanched and frozen and if we run out can used canned as well.

As most of what we store are the raw ingredients we usually use everyday we can and do the stock what we eat and eat what you store in principle so FIFO is easier for us. We call it multi layered prepping.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

sewingcreations15 said:


> terri9630 thanks for the info much appreciated.
> 
> We will vacuum seal in a jar when we buy our home where we will have more room. At the moment we are in a teensy workers cottage of 100sqm in size total and that includes 3 bedrooms. I probably would do that in meal sized portions in our food grade plastic heat sealed and then put in plastic storage buckets. We have a lot of food storage we can fit in here only because we stack in 10lt food grade storage containers because of limited space.
> 
> ...


No need to re package. Just put a small slit or hole in the original packaging to let the air out during vacuum sealing. Works just fine that way.


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## DrPrepper (Apr 17, 2016)

Caribou said:


> I differ from Sentry in my prepping. As much as I love beef stroganoff I don't want multiple five gallon pails of it. If I wind up at Sentry's and he puts stroganoff on the table for a week straight (exaggeration intended) I will eat it with gratitude. There are numerous companies out there making these products and doing a land office business so it is a very valid way to prep.
> 
> I store the components. This allows me to make many different meals and my rotation (FIFO) keeps my food fresh.
> .


Caribou,
I agree with you. I prefer to store components so I can continue to cook the kinds of food to which we are accustomed. I have a few mountain house meals for my GHB. They are OK, but I think my cooking is a bit better!  When SHTF, there will be enough disruption and stress- totally changing our diet would only add significantly to that stress! Besides, cooking is very therapeutic for me, so in addition to producing meals, cooking would help me relax!


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## bugoutbob (Nov 11, 2012)

I am still struggling ... what means this word "enough"


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Perhaps the differing opinion on food preps also involves bugging in versus bugging out. I imagine some of you intend to stay put if something happens. I do to but only if we are looking at a short term event where life as we know it will be restored to "normal". If it catastrophic or world changing then I intend to load up and go my BOL which provides much better long term sustainable living (cattle, gardens, fruit trees & bushes, corn fields, lakes, etc.). What I have at home is really just intended to get me and me through the transition from life as we know it today until our new life is established and productive at the BOL. While 65% or more of my food preps are at my home, 25% are already at the BOL and 10% are in my covert storage unit which is halfway between those two locations. If I have to load up and go 5 gallon buckets are lighter, more portable/stackable and easier to transport than say jars full of canned meat or multiple 10# cans of peaches.


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## sewingcreations15 (Aug 19, 2017)

Hi Sentry18 and you are absolutely right on bugging in and out as to what your preps are and I would also say that most people have varying diets and preferred foods as well. We stock in 2.2 gallon buckets as they are lighter to lift and transport. 

Most of us should prepare for both if necessary depending on the situation. As I have a husband with injuries our preferred option is to bug in but if necessary we would bug out too and have alternative places to go to.


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## timmie (Jan 14, 2012)

When you're home want hold any more.now its time to take care of outside stuff


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

timmie said:


> When you're home want hold any more.now its time to take care of outside stuff


I remember going to a preppers house many years ago. He was a retired LEO from way out of state that had a kitchen counter FFL. He lived in the country and only did business by appointment. Even then 99% of all transactions were done on his porch with his two adult sons standing nearby wearing guns. He always had a revolver worn cross draw. One time I was permitted inside because we shared an affinity for Enfields and he wanted to show me one hanging on the wall of his living room. Plus being a state LEO maybe we had some kind of kindred spirit. His house was like a warehouse lightly decorated as a home. His kitchen table was boxes of supplies with a piece of plywood on top covered in a tablecloth. His sofa used to be a sleeper and now was full of preps with cushions on top. The entire place, every free space, was piled high with supplies. I don't even know what was in the steel building, garages, barn, etc. This guy was maxed out and obviously prepared to bug in for the long haul. He closed up shop a few years later and as far as I know still lives there.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

We have half our stash here and half at the new place. The new place is still a construction zone but is livable if we had to. Just need pens for the animals and fencing for a garden spot.


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## Flight1630 (Jan 4, 2017)

Well I beat you all I'm on a sea food diet, I see food I eat food. Lol


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