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I expect to have to dig into prep supplies for:

  • I don't - y'all are nuts

    Votes: 14 24.1%
  • A few weeks at most

    Votes: 12 20.7%
  • A month or two at most

    Votes: 21 36.2%
  • Three to Six months

    Votes: 7 12.1%
  • Six+ months

    Votes: 4 6.9%

  • Total voters
    58
Messages
4,172
Reactions
11,978
I'm looking to keep this thread limited to experience, preps, and prep predictions...so for any news, theories, whatever, please use the official thread: Novel Coronavirus 2019 (2019 n-CoV).

What I am looking to learn is:
  1. What is your experience level with regard to prepping? (new, somewhat knowledgable, experienced, apocalypse survivor)
  2. What is your expected prep for n-CoV19? (While I know that you survivor level guys already have enough shiz to go on awhile, I'd like to know what portion of it you feel may be devoted to this one event)
    1. What do you think the timeline will be from prep-consuming to back to regular life?
    2. What are your big prep staples/items (you a freeze dried junky or fresh food kinda guy/gal?)
    3. Are you preparing to be infected (some of us work at schools or high population centers and it's a fact of life that we may come into contact with the virus)?
That's all. Please keep the thread hyper focused on this alone. Thanks!
 
What I am looking to learn is:
What is your experience level with regard to prepping? (new, somewhat knowledgable, experienced, apocalypse survivor)

Been doing so all my life. The last decade and a half, we kicked it in to real high gear. We've made major life decisions (where we live, how we live, etc.), engaged in serious expenditures, etc. revolving around being prepared. I have written for various websites and other publications on the topic, including having an article published in the Journal of Civil Defense. My wife has written preparedness articles and has been a Red Cross instructor.

What is your expected prep for n-CoV19? (While I know that you survivor level guys already have enough shiz to go on awhile, I'd like to know what portion of it you feel may be devoted to this one event)

We live off the beaten path and at a defensible location. We have plenty of supplies, water and high volume water purification systems, multiple sources of backup power, medical equipment, NBC protective gear, radiation test equipment, and a battery of firearms.

What do you think the timeline will be from prep-consuming to back to regular life?

On this one? No idea. And I suspect few do.

What are your big prep staples/items (you a freeze dried junky or fresh food kinda guy/gal?)

Dried goods, canned goods, frozen goods (that will be consumed first), stored water, and what we can grow. We don't do junk food in any huge amounts.

Are you preparing to be infected (some of us work at schools or high population centers and it's a fact of life that we may come into contact with the virus)?

Yes, it is a possibility and my wife works in a school. Though they normally shut those down when it starts getting really weird. We have a "go point" in which we are going to hole up here. I can, with my key equipment brought home from my office, work from here.

That's all. Please keep the thread hyper focused on this alone. Thanks!

Great thread. :)
 
Got started about 2 years ago, mainly buying freeze dried food, building a 400 gallon water reserve, buying ammo, water filtration systems, gardening and medical supplies. I'm not an experienced preppe, so it's all theory at this point. I have my two closest friends start doing the same about 12 months ago.

My lists are what I could glean from others here and others sites I've visited regarding the subject. I'll be tagging along in this thread to learn more.
 
I hate the word "prepper". It reminds me of terms like assault rifle that are meant to invoke a negative image.

But to answer the question, I try to live a lifestyle that was very common until very recently. One where you don't go to the store for the ingredients of every meal you eat and could hole up for a couple months without resupply fairly comfortably if the need ever arises.

I have a little bit of FD food, mostly for backpacking but I just like to buy some extra of the normal stuff we eat every time I go shopping because I don't want to have to go to the store the every time I want that meal. It adds up pretty quick.
 
I've focused on prepping a number of times through the years. My experience has told me it's worth dedicating time toward it, but also have a way to put it out of mind otherwise all the endless scenarios will make you dizzy.

Food being a main staple need in prepping, one product I've been drawn to with its simplicity is freeze dried food. Mountain house has absolutely delicious products. I spend a premium on the individual packets as they can and will be used for camping adventures. Although their product says it's good for 30 years, I've heard that these items will be edible for 100 years if stored correctly. Contrast that with the huge investment my folks made years ago in emergency food consisting of dried beans, grains, etc. When we went through it, we found most all items had gone rancid.

Regarding the timeline of going from life disruption to a return to normal, there is no real way to know. That's why some preppers get really into it and plan for years. You have to decide on a personal level what is needed to protect you and your loved ones.

There's a dedicated prepper forum I go to occasionally and gives good insight. Always remember, one of the big rules in prepping is to limit who knows. Every friend you tell could one day show up at your doorstep and no longer be friendly.

Hope that helps.
 
We have made sure we have what we need for weeks for as long as I can remember. Here the big natural disaster is a good shake. We keep hearing we "could" get one. If so FEMA would be here sooner or later. As long as the house does not completely fall down we will be fine. So many live day to day that if the stores shut down for a week there would be mass panic. The panic is where things get dangerous. I do have to laugh at this reason for a panic. Places like SanFran have diseases showing up that many Doctors had never actually seen, only learned about in school. Due to the way they want people who are dopers to live together in places with no sanitation. Yet the state now screaming disaster over something they found 1 case of so far? This is the media screaming fire and hoping they can get a panic going. Meanwhile they ignore the real potential for disaster.
 
Been doing so all my life. The last decade and a half, we kicked it in to real high gear. We've made major life decisions (where we live, how we live, etc.), engaged in serious expenditures, etc. revolving around being prepared. I have written for various websites and other publications on the topic, including having an article published in the Journal of Civil Defense. My wife has written preparedness articles and has been a Red Cross instructor.



We live off the beaten path and at a defensible location. We have plenty of supplies, water and high volume water purification systems, multiple sources of backup power, medical equipment, NBC protective gear, radiation test equipment, and a battery of firearms.



On this one? No idea. And I suspect few do.



Dried goods, canned goods, frozen goods (that will be consumed first), stored water, and what we can grow. We don't do junk food in any huge amounts.



Yes, it is a possibility and my wife works in a school. Though they normally shut those down when it starts getting really weird. We have a "go point" in which we are going to hole up here. I can, with my key equipment brought home from my office, work from here.



Great thread. :)


I am jealous on the location my friend. Mrs and I have pulled the duty of care for our mothers, as there is no one else to do so. We do not have the capability of taking care of them at our home. So they are each in residential care facilities here in brackish water land as each requires 24hr care.

You never know someday we just might pull up the tent stakes and head over your way. Is that County large enough for both of us?
 
What do you think the timeline will be from prep-consuming to back to regular life?
My guess is there's no way to tell at this point. My advice would be to keep an eye on reports from the quarantined areas in China (to the extent possible), Italy, and elsewhere as things develop. What problems are people having to cope with in those places? What solutions are working (or not) for them? When does life begin to return to normal over there? Learn from them.

Most recommendations I have seen so far say you should have 1 to 2 weeks-worth of supplies. Totally inadequate if you ask me. How long have they been locked down in Wuhan so far? I think it's been about 6 weeks now.
 
Well, I needed to get some things at Walmart so I bought 5 gallons of drinking water, a couple big bags of rice and a couple bags of beans. Along with a 5 pack of mack and cheese. (don't worry, I still have about 30lbs of Tuna, Halibut, Lingcod and Salmon in the freezer) The wife wanted masks but they didn't have any left. So I swung by Jerry's, the girl in the paint department was restocking the face masks as I grabbed a couple packs, she said they were going quick, they would run out soon and their next shipment won't be for weeks. The first case of unknown origin just popped up in CA, that is what I was worried about. If it starts spreading I'll buy more supplies. I am self employed and only need to go to the post office, and get gas, if I have plenty of food, I can go for months without breathing the same air as anyone else.
 
My dad always kept a stash of supplies, and so have i, usually just small amounts but i upgrade in times like this. If the shf you dont need fancy food and you want it to be simple to prepare and have some shelf life. I have a small but very nice reliable generator that will run what i need it to. Several different ways to cook said items. I keep fuel around and my car tank full with a locking gas cap for what thats worth, and of course plenty toys and lead to keep all said items mine. I think i got thing fairly covered except for worst case scenario things go completely testicular. All my family is close and equally set up to off the charts set up so i have some fall back.
 
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N95 masks have pretty well all been scooped up now at regular prices. Unfortunately I waited to long before deciding to purchase some. What do you think the next useful item will be, that will get scooped up and become hard to find (hand sanitizer, disinfectant sprays, etc)?
 
N95 masks have pretty well all been scooped up now at regular prices. Unfortunately I waited to long before deciding to purchase some. What do you think the next useful item will be, that will get scooped up and become hard to find (hand sanitizer, disinfectant sprays, etc)?

I think the mask hype is definitely panic buying. I think it is also overblown. Every time I see an image of someone with a mask, who also isn't wearing gloves or eye protection, I just think, "Oh, cool, I can take your masks after you get the disease and are holed up at home quarantined."

My point is, the masks are only one level of protection that can easily lead to a false sense of security. But, alright, they're gone.

I don't think we'll run out of disinfectant. You don't need Lysol branded wipes - just some chlorine bleach and/or alcohol will do and a little bit goes a long way...I don't see people stocking gallons upon gallons of the stuff.

I'm probably wrong, but I'll throw some money on food next - and I don't think panic buying would begin unless we really screw up this quarantine thing, the summer months have no affect, and infection becomes widespread...leading people to hole up voluntarily or leading those infected to hole up and then continue to avoid a second infection. Basically, a lot of shiz will need to hit the fan...but that'll lead to the next round of panic buying: food.

That's my guess anyway.
 
We're moderately preparedness minded, ie don't live at a bug out location. & are no where near self sufficient ie don't garden, have livestock etc. & don't hunt, fish nor trap.

However have always remained stocked up reasonably well food wise, simply for ease, simplicity & the savings (both of money & time).

Have family whom are far more preparedness minded, and do live at a bug out type location, which could become self sufficient. A bit far now that we've moved south, but depending upon the calamity "could" be our mutual assistance backstop.

I mention "could" be, as not likely for this potential calamity, if it heads that way here in the states.

We're in healthcare, and will continue to work while we can provide meaningful care & it's safe security wise for us to continue doing so. Including the commutes to & fro. So unfortunately fully expect to be exposed if this gets legs here.

One of the reasons the mutual assistance group plan is well down on the back burner for us ATM— we'd need to be not obviously ill at arrival & be self quarantining away from family on property for a month (unless current suspected asymptomatic infectivity time line increases beyond 3 weeks).

If this does get legs here in the states, AND healthcare gets to the point that we can no longer provide any meaningful to our patients, then we will no longer go.

Heartbreaking a thought as that will be.

Also, by that point in time, it would be very unlikely travel to our assistance group would be possible (either due to travel restrictions, or just simple safety).

...So in short, have simply bumped up our nearterm/short term foodstocks. Standard shelf stable, refrigerated & frozen. Which we will use anyways, so again a further cost & time savings down the road.

Need to better bump up our water stowage, have a few weeks of bottled water on hand ATM. Standard quake-shake prep stuff.

But will be filling containers (already on hand) to bump us out to months on hand. Without having to look towards outdoors water sources. Have filtering and treatment capacity as well, from our camping and trekking gear.

Again tho, bumping up water, for us, is simply a hedge against a worst case type scenario. If this does gets legs here, and well further down the road if so, loss of reliable municipal services.

Simply getting ahead of the curve, is all, as time is available for us to do such now.

No "real" monetary loss for bumping up on the water for us, either, given we've already the safe stowage. Folks whom do not have storage capacity should do there own near & long term risk assessments vs costs etc.

As towards freeze dried stuff, have a goodly bit put back, so that'd be for use later. After the bumped up standard shelf stable stock is used.

Bought out a decent case lot supply from another member, sold "some" we didn't like off under market price. Which paid for the entire lot, plus enough extra $ to bump the freeze dried stock up with more stock we enjoy. So really really lucked into a nearly "free" stock (excluding time, travel & whatnot).

If it were to get to the point we would HAVE TO dip into our freeze dried stock, due to necessity vs camping, that'd simply be well into or beyond a calamitous state. Something normalcy bias precludes most folks from even considering.

If an individual can't imagine such a calamitous state, then simply don't & move on.

If an individual can imagine getting to that type of calamitous state, yet doesn't currently have stock put back as we do. Now would be a decent time to consider long term food supply & stowage options. No reason to charge up cards & such either.

Just set down and consider setting up your own long term food stowage.

Pasta.
Rice. Par boiled has far better nutrition value than regular white.
Beans.
Lentils.
Oats.
Sugar.
Salt.
Flour (don't forget yeast, baking soda etc).

All of such can be purchased by the bulk bag (50#, 25# etc), at significant savings over standard size packaging at Winco, Bobs Red Mill (if one is nearby there), Cash & Carry restaraunt supply stores etc.

Food grade 5 gallon buckets with lids are available inexpensively, particularly if near enough to a Metro area up north. Check craigslist.

Large food grade Mylar bags "should" be available at Winco. They were when we lived up Salem way. Haven't looked at our local down here, so it's been a few years since we've looked.

Food grade oxygen absorbers were also available at Winco up there, however were less expensive via Amazon at the time.

Next expensive:

The least expensive pre-packaged long term stowage BASIC foodstuffs are available at local LDS (Mormon) bishops storehouses. Mostly standard #10 cans. Again tho primarily just, basics. Flour, oats, pasta etc.

All LDS storehouses have open to the public days/times, or by appointment. If you don't have one nearby, shipping really kills savings, and brings things closer to the manufactured freeze dried level.

Then there's:

If a green thumb and flower garden already, consider flipping over towards edibles/vegetables.

If one doesn't garden, but can reasonably (space), consider doing so.

However don't "bank" on return. As with any skill, may fail initially.
 
I have so much freeze dried food that I will probably get sick of it after a few months and take out one of the neighbor's cows if it went that long.

but being a physician I will be taking care of patients in a very under-prepared rural area. We cant even get masks from our medical equipment distributor for the past month. So if it it is a really big issue I will probably be taken out. But not before I visit the state legislature and shake a few hands with our politicians.

We only have 2 of these for the whole clinic. If I didnt have my own full face n100 respirator I'd be crying.

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