conte

Week Five is all about Water-Water is essential!

Everyone knows that you can last about a week without water and this depends upon the conditions such a extreme heat or exercise. Going three or four days without water will be longer then most of us will be able to do. At lease 60% of our bodies are made up of water and we need water to keep our bodies going. Water acts as a lubricate for our joints, regulates our body temperature through sweating and respiration and helps flush waste.

 

In preparedness, water is at the top of the list of what you need to have on hand. How much is always the question but you will never have enough. We have ten 15 gal water containers filled at all times. The Reliance Aqua-Tainer from Sportsman Warehouse are affordable and great to have on hand at your home or office.

In Portland, OR about 2 years ago, there was a panic that the Bull Run Reservior was contaminated. People were racing to the store to buy water and all the shelves were striped clean very quickly. We didn't have to worry because we already had out containers filled. 

Some other items to have on hand are The Berkey Water Filter system. Berkey water filers provide the ultimate in waterbourne contamination removal. Get the largest one the you can afford and an extra set of filers. The Berkey can serve 4 to 150 people with a single unit. You should consider having one of these at your work and home. You never know where your going to be when your going to need it. You will happy that you have this when the time comes that you need it. 

We believe in a layer system for your water needs. Having multiple systems will give you the flexibility to have systems and home as well as in your bug out bag while your on th move. While on the move, think about having The Life Straw. These are affordable, mobile and make contaminated water safe to drink. A stream, lake, water trough the life straw will remove bacteria and protozoa. We have these in our bug out bags and have used them in Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks. 

We hope that this will help you with your water preparedness needs. Share your ideas with others!

January, 2017 Week Four!

Well, getting going is easier then you think! If you read last weeks blog post, I gave you a couple of ideas about stocking up on food and what we have personally been doing for the past few years. This week, were going to continue using our list and look at different options for the #1 item. The Generator or two!

We currently have two gas powered generators, that we have really put to use over the past 2 years while were building our new barn. Some of you may have seen that on David's YouTube Channel USNERDOC.  The first generator that we purchased at Costco over 15 years ago, and it's a 5000 watt Generac Gas Generator for about $600,  When we purchased our current home we had a "Transfer Switch" wired in our garage. The cost of the transfer switch and installation was about $800 and allows us to hook up the generator and power our appliances and some lights when the power is out.

Our Honda EU2000i, is a great addition to our generators. For about $1000, you can have a dependable super quiet light weight inverter 2000W 120v fuel efficient generator with parallel capability & oil alert. 

Generators can be expensive but you might be able to find a good used one on on Craigslist or your local newspaper. If maintained well, these will last a very long time but it needs to be on your list. 

Solar Generators are great if you live in an area where you received five our mores hours of sun daily. The sun is needed to charge the batteries that run the generator. 

Our good friend, Nick Meisner has an excellent course called "Off Grid Boot Camp". If your looking to go off grid, you might consider this online course to help you out. David, has taken it and thought that is was well worth the $$ that it costs to take Nick's course.

 

Well, that's all for this week. Hope that this helps you to power you home in the event of an emergency. 

It's Never Too Late!

With the latest snow storm in the Portland, Oregon area, I saw how un-prepared Portlander's really are. With the pile up of cars on the side of the road, the long lines the local grocery store and people taking to the streets to walk due to a failure to plan. This storm was predicted and they still didn't prepare. You have to ask yourself are you prepared?

Getting your car prepared for winter weather should start in November! Start by getting your car winter-ready by bringing the routine service up to date. Plan on getting Studded Snow Tires (Approved in Oregon and Washington), Tire Chains, Road Flares, Hand Warmers, Blanket or Sleeping Bag (For Warmth), Water, Snacks, Window De-Icer (Prestone Windshield De-Icer), Yaktrax (Traction for your shoes-Yaktrax), 

Extra Jacket, Hat and Gloves. All of these items can be in your trunk in a Plano 56Qt HD Storage Tote (Sportsman Warehouse). Add other items that you feel would be helpful for your personal preparedness.

November is a great time to stock up on supplies for your home as well. You will need to stock up on food, water and heat for yourself, family and your animals and any unprepared neighbors. It is especially important to check on elderly neighbors to insure they are doing well. Places like Costco, Cash & Carry and Dollar Tree are great stores to buy in bulk and will save you $$ in the long run. We also have freeze dried food which has a shelf live of 25 years or more (Honeyville). Buy some extra Animal Food so you have it available in case you can't get to the store. We also have (5)15 gallon water storage containers (Reliance Aqua-Tainer). Waiting until the event happens is to late to get prepared, avoid the panic and get prepared now!

Once a winter storm rolls in you may arrive home to find a few inches or feet of snow. As soon as the snow stops, get out and start shoveling your sidewalk and driveway. Starting clearing your walkway and driveway early and frequently will make your life much easier. Here are a few additional items to think about having at your home. We think the Orchard ABS Scoop Shovel (Orchard Supply Hardware) is the BEST shovel for snow removal. We own 3 of these shovels. The large D-handle is comfortable to hold and the big scoop lifts plenty of snow. During the last snow storm we were the only ones in our neighborhood that had a clear driveway! Ice Melt is another must for your home as you are responsible if someone slips and falls on your driveway or sidewalk in front of your home. (ULine) The best way to spread Ice Melt is with a hand-held fertilizer spreader.

Generators are another useful item to have at home in case the power goes out. With a gas generator and a transfer switch (installed by licensed electrician), you will be able to run your refrigerator, essential lights and small heater. This time of year, you never know when the power might go out! Staying warm can save your life. Extra gas for the generator and your car will keep you moving and warm through out the winter months. Remember to run your generator in a safe open air location!

Another great idea, is to have extra medications, prescription glasses and cash (Small Bills) on hand in case of emergency. 

Don't wait until the next disaster to get prepared!

Week Three 2020!

With the beginning of every new year, comes new possibilities and resolutions and expectation that we try to achieve. We start of the year with a list to lose weight, read more, save more money and the list goes on and on. This year is no different then the years before. The possibilities for this year could endless but you should have a plan in order to achieve some or even all of them. 

This year 2020, we are staring off the year with a better plan then last year so we will see how it goes. It's the third week of the new year and our list starts with storing more food. As the months go by I will be sharing with you, our readers as to what were add this week or month. 

Starting today, January 16, 2020 we are adding more food storage to our pantry. . The item that I love best is Honeyville. From Bakery Products, Fruits, Vegetables, Gluten Free, Flours, Grains and on and on. Honeyville has the best tasting and long-term freeze dried food storage and more. Set a budget from $50 or more and use that to add to your preparedness every month.

Now, you might say that's not the best way to buy food and you might be right, however with a 25 year shelf life, you really can't go wrong. We started purchasing Honeyville over 9 years ago and will continue to do so from today and moving forward. You see, you can never have enough food and with winter here and snow on the ground it's better to order online.

Canning and Preserving will be essential for your long term food storage as well. Start collecting Quart and Pint jars and lids to have for canning later in the summer. Look for deals on these now as they might go up in price once the season gets under way. Look at your local bookstore for books and magazines on canning and preserving. More on this at a later date. 

 

 

Follow Amp-3 on Social Media