Worth it to be prepared

[Grant Lamontagne]

I woke up around 4:30 this morning when one of the dogs was having stomach issues and wanted to go outside and I noticed everything was dark.  I know, it's supposed to be dark at 4:30 right?  Wrong.  We live downtown and there should have been streetlights and the like, but there was nothing.

Turns out the whole city is in the dark and in the distance I can hear thunder as lightning continues to stroke pretty much everywhere as a storm rolls by.

So.... I grab a flashlight for myself (Zebralight), give another to Megan (Klarus) then dig out the GE LED lantern as a general light in case it is needed and I start to wonder if power will be back in the next few hours when it is time to make breakfast.  Then I decide that we have two Coleman stoves, lots of propane, a Mini Trangia with lots of alcohol, my Optima stove with lots of naphtha and a Bio Lite with lots of twigs and I decide I really don't give a damn about whether the power is on by breakfast time or not!

Def

[Chako]

It is always a nice feeling to have backups to backups in emergency situations. 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Nothing beats that smug feeling of being prepared does it mate

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[Viking]

Nothing beats that smug feeling of being prepared does it mate

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I agree. 

Sometimes I dare the weather to knock my power out.  Then I can show my wife why I keep flashlights all over the house.  Or why I have the generator all ready to go for running the furnace in the winter time.

Good job Def!!

[Aloha]

Nothing beats that smug feeling of being prepared does it mate

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Well said and I couldn't agree more. 

[AimlessWanderer]

Nothing beats that smug feeling of being prepared does it mate

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Well said and I couldn't agree more.

I don't tend to get that these days, as carrying tools and a light just feels.... normal. I do still get a buzz when my carry helps out someone else who hasn't learnt the virtues of pocket tools. That look in their eyes, trying to determine whether you're a wierdo or a hero, did they just catch you at the right time, or do you always carry that stuff  I also get a buzz when I'm working with someone and a tool is needed, and they go off to fetch said tool, only to find the job has been done when they return 

[av8r1]

A few weeks ago, I noticed the girl who lives in the apartment above me standing in front of her car looking upset.  I asked what's wrong, and she said it wouldn't start.  I got out my multimeter from my bag and tested the battery, it was low, so I gave her a jump with my battery pack.  That kind of thing happens to me all the time.  Someone needs a screwdriver real quick.  Or some batteries.  Or a bottle of water.  Or a flashlight.  Guess who always has those things?

[Aloha]

Nothing beats that smug feeling of being prepared does it mate

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Well said and I couldn't agree more.

I don't tend to get that these days, as carrying tools and a light just feels.... normal. I do still get a buzz when my carry helps out someone else who hasn't learnt the virtues of pocket tools. That look in their eyes, trying to determine whether you're a wierdo or a hero, did they just catch you at the right time, or do you always carry that stuff  I also get a buzz when I'm working with someone and a tool is needed, and they go off to fetch said tool, only to find the job has been done when they return 

I can relate to all thee above. 

[WhichDawg]

I was looking at them coleman stoves but I wanted something I could use inside (little safer) in case it's raining or cold out and I opted for a Chinese butane stove (mine goes to 12,000 btu) and the canisters of butane are like 2-3 dollars each and you get like 3-4 uses/cooking's with each.

our biggest concern during outages was the fridge and freezer, lots of expensive yummies in them that would be wasted or suspect in a long outage so we got a nice small generator (1500 surge 1200 rated) and I did a full load test for while during the break-in and it worked great 

so like you I feel better and more prepared and feel less "I should have/could have" now 

[detron]

I am always happier now because my MTs/SAKs/Lights/ etc, etc handle things that just pop-up.  and it is nice to take care of things quickly.

I have also had the people who thanked me for helping with a tool, or whatever,  and that is nice. 
The only people that bother me, are the ones who come to me for a tool, use it, then make fun of me for carrying stuff   

[Rossko07]

I love hearing these stories. I can relate to a lot here.

[NKlamerus]

Glad to see you were ready!

Head Turd Polisher setting an example for the rest of us!!

[raistlin65]

15 years ago, it seemed a pain to have multiple emergency lights around. Now days with LED flashlights and LED lanterns that can use LSD rechargeables, everyone should be prepared for a blackout--and not have to light candles

[aerojet]

If you are prepared for "tent camping" - you are pretty much prepared for almost anything. Just go back to Mark 1 Mod 0 and power or not, you are there!

[Etherealicer]

Nothing beats that smug feeling of being prepared does it mate

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Well said and I couldn't agree more.

Well, maybe the smug feeling you get from knowing that this won't happen to you

There is actually only one that I can remember although that one only did hit the trains (mostly around Zurich) and lasted maybe 4 or 5 hours.

[Yadda]

After Hurricane Ike hit the Gulf Coast and we were without power (we did have a small generator to keep the fridges/freezers and TV going) in the sweltering heat, my wife pulled a Scarlette O'hara and proclaimed she would never be without power again.  Two weeks later we had a whole house generator hooked into our power system and tied to the natural gas line.  No more longterm power outages at my house.  The power goes out, 30 seconds later the power is back on and generator is humming along at the back of the garage... but I still have flashlights all over the house.

[Zed]

Im prepared for most things,including a zombie apocalypse   

[Grant Lamontagne]

One concern I have with being prepared is letting others know I am prepared.  I know this sounds like paranoia, but I think of all the riots and things that have gone one recently in the US.  Without getting political, there's only so much a couple of dogs and a couple of guns can protect.

Having a generator humming away out back or being the only house lit up at night are great ways to attract opportunists.  I'm not one for putting on lights at night anyway unless I need them anyway, so there's minimal concern there, but I really don't want to attract attention to the fact that I'm ready for these things.

Def

[Etherealicer]

I'm also not sure if light deters or attracts the looters. Probably both depending on the group/circumstances etc.

I think in a short power outage most plundering are opportunistic, using the fact that there is no power for the security system, so light might be deterring mostly. However, the longer the power outage lasts it might shift to envy.
Now, I'm kinda curious if someone has studied that

[Aloha]

Grey man approach is great when going about our daily grind but when the lights go out not so much grey when your house is the only one lit.  I wonder tho would the looters rather hit a dark home or a well lit one. 

Opportunistic looting would have me believe they'd go after the easy targets.  The ones I'd be more concerned about are the neighbors that all of a sudden show up a dinner time  . 

[MadPlumbarian]

Back in October of 2010, we had that big storm and all of Connecticut where we were living at the time was out for a week or more, we had some of our camping gear, and thats what we used, we needed our little propane heater for at night, we were hunkered down in one room. We had the outdoor grill or propane double burner setup in the kitchen when it came time to cook, all the food was still in the fridge, I had to keep going outside to pack snow into containers to keep the temp down, the only thing we didn't have was hot water, our neighbors on the other hand did, so we could go over and take a shower. The funny thing was our water heater took a dump the day it all started, so I replaced it as it was snowing, then as it got hot the power went out, I thought it blew the breaker, but then I saw no one had power! So I knew at least it did work? But that was kinda fun, kids didn't have school for over a week, they had volunteers hoisting snow blowers onto the schools roofs in order to get all the weight of the snow off before they would even allow anyone into the buildings, they all even missed out on Halloween since it was a state of emergency, so guess who got to enjoy our chocolate
   But it's worth it to be prepared!! I've gotten made fun of a few times for lugging around my edc bag, but a few times it's come in handy and that's all it takes, you'll be looked up to rather then frowned on!! Besides I gotta show off my MT.O patch!
JR

[raistlin65]

One concern I have with being prepared is letting others know I am prepared.  I know this sounds like paranoia, but I think of all the riots and things that have gone one recently in the US.  Without getting political, there's only so much a couple of dogs and a couple of guns can protect.

Having a generator humming away out back or being the only house lit up at night are great ways to attract opportunists.  I'm not one for putting on lights at night anyway unless I need them anyway, so there's minimal concern there, but I really don't want to attract attention to the fact that I'm ready for these things.

Def

I live in a smaller city in an urban area.

For a short term emergency, sure. A generator would be nice. But long term? You are right. People would notice the haves vs. the have nots. Some of the have nots also have no morals and would seek to take what you have.

[raistlin65]

If you are prepared for "tent camping" - you are pretty much prepared for almost anything. Just go back to Mark 1 Mod 0 and power or not, you are there! (Image removed from quote.)

+1

I read a good suggestion for those of us who live in frozen wastelands in the winter. For a serious emergency with long term power outage, if your heat in your house went out (or you have limited fuel for portable heating you need to conserve), set a tent up in your house for sleeping. Insulate it with blankets draped on the outside, and you have a small shelter where body heat would help to warm the air inside--your own personal cave in your house.

[Kampfer]

I decide I really don't give a damn about whether the power is on by breakfast time or not!

Do you care about whether the power is on by Christmas? 

We actually have enough food and water for the four of us last until Santa arrive.

[Grant Lamontagne]

That is also why I have big dogs..... we could be chewing on Daisy for months!

 

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

That is also why I have big dogs..... we could be chewing on Daisy for months!

 

Def

Well, and for warmth! When we had to turn the heat off for the night and everyone hunkered down in the one room including the dog(a 125lb golden) needless to say he kept us warm, lol! Hey today is national dog day!
JR

[WhichDawg]

I live in a smaller city in an urban area.
For a short term emergency, sure. A generator would be nice. But long term? You are right. People would notice the haves vs. the have nots. Some of the have nots also have no morals and would seek to take what you have.

for us the short term use of a generator is what we need, to save the food in the freezer and fridge so we can use that first and it not going to waste, after that we wouldn't use the generator much (if any) so long term is not a factor for us.

[ironraven]

A few weeks ago, I noticed the girl who lives in the apartment above me standing in front of her car looking upset.  I asked what's wrong, and she said it wouldn't start.

Last time I had one of those, few days later the same young lady was knocking on my door becuase of plumbing issues. A friend of mine has sworn for years, add a new, proper toilet plunger (not sink) to your gear stash for just such an occasion.

She was cute. And nuts. Oh well. Plungers are cheap.

[raistlin65]

A few weeks ago, I noticed the girl who lives in the apartment above me standing in front of her car looking upset.  I asked what's wrong, and she said it wouldn't start.

Last time I had one of those, few days later the same young lady was knocking on my door becuase of plumbing issues. A friend of mine has sworn for years, add a new, proper toilet plunger (not sink) to your gear stash for just such an occasion.

She was cute. And nuts. Oh well. Plungers are cheap.

That doesn't really work to meet women, though. They have to have a story they can tell their friends about how they got to know you. And it definitely cannot involve the words "he gave me a toilet plunger."