What is your preparedness plan?

I am not some survival expert, far from it in fact. I am also not panicking yet, but trying to prepare just in case. I think I have a pretty decent plan to stay safe, and keep my family safe, if this Wu Crud does become an epidemic.

Basically my plan is to shelter in place and go out as little as possible, and then only with precautions.

I started prepping back in 2014, just in case Ebola decided to explode. So I have had stuff on hand. On Sunday I decided to go through everything and see what I had, and what more I should stock up on just to be safe.

In 2014 I purchased a 1 year, one person food supply. It is all in sealed containers, and good for 30 years on the shelf. I have a family of 5, so that is not enough, but it is a start.

Food wise, I have a lot of rice, cheap, easy to make, lot's of calories. I packaged most of it in vacuum bags, but still have a 50lb bag in a container that is still good. Some canned goods, easy meats like spam and Vienna sausages. Canned chicken, beef, etc. I totaled up all the calories from everything, and it came to 1.1 million calories. Estimating we have at least another 300,000 (probably low) worth in the pantry, and what is in the freezer, I am looking at about 1.4 million calories. For 3 adults @ 2000 cal a day, and 2 kids at a little lower, I figure we will burn through about 9000 cal a day in food. That will allow us to hold up food wise for about 155 days, or about 5 months. I need to get a little more canned meats to make sure we have the protein. I can also hunt on my land if needed.

Water is no problem. We have a well that never has run dry. I have a generator to power it for an hour or so a day to fill up tubs if needed. I also have a couple of rain barrels, and with as much rain and snow as we get here, they will always be full.

I have several sources of heat, so no problem there. I might just have to go on a cutting spree to get wood if needed.

Cooking, as long as power stays on it will not be an issue. If it goes out, I can rig something up for the fireplace for small stuff, and take the duct work off the wood heater, and use the top of it as a cooking space. I have also built a couple of rocket stoves from cinder blocks, just to play with. I don't have one now, but could build one in less than an hour if needed.

I have PPE ready as well. I have 6 tyvec suits, 18 N95 masks, a P100 respirator and extra filters, tyvec booties, head covers, 50+ pairs of nitrile gloves, goggles, etc. I will be getting a fogger and some Vital Oxide. Vital Oxide is an EPA approved hospital disinfectant, safe, leaves no residue for cleanup, kills 99.999% of all bacteria and virus. If I need to go out, I will fog down before removing the PPE when I get home.

I would love to hear others plans and ideas, or anyplace my plan would be lacking.

One would have to isolate himself from family, friends, schools and shopping.. ohh and jobs.
If one live alone and only have himself, I could see how preparing for this is possible, but it would take a lot of effort.
I think I am ready to accept what ever fate that comes with this virus, ofc hoping for a cure before that.

I can't afford to stock up like that. Guess Imma gonna die.

originally posted by: Spacespider
One would have to isolate himself from family, friends, schools and shopping.. ohh and jobs.
If one live alone and only have himself, I could see how preparing for this is possible, but it would take a lot of effort.
I think I am ready to accept what ever fate that comes with this virus, ofc hoping for a cure before that.

Yes, that is correct. It would have to be just my family. I would give advice to extended family to do the same things I am doing, but most of them probably would not listen anyway.

As for work, well I own a home business. Unfortunately a lot of parts I use for my products come out of China. So I am screwed anyway as I doubt I will be able to get the PCB cards made and shipped with Shenzhen in lockdown. They are hobby products as well, so if things go south here, people will not be buying hobby stuff, they will be using the money they have for food and other necessary goods.

originally posted by: Night Star
I can't afford to stock up like that. Guess Imma gonna die.

The best scenario is to just get a gun, and then take the supplies you need from someone weaker who doesnt have a gun once SHTF... thats the cheapest way to survival plan.. haha

a reply to: MrRCflying

Water is #1 and it sounds like you got that covered.

Do you have far UV lights? It can kill airborne flu viruses. They should really use these in schools!
Also do you have non-connected entertainment, things like cards, board games, crafts, books, etc. If things get
really bad it might be good to shut off and relax instead of watching scary news reports 24/7.

I also wanted to chime in for people that say they don't have money to stock up.
There is something you can do. Start learning to forage. It doesn't take any money.
Not just for the flu panic, but learning what is edible around you can be helpful in many different situations.
There is food everywhere, most people just don't see it.

Also wanted to add, if you have a sam/costco membership get as much peroxide as you can. It is such a good cleaner, much better/safer than bleach.
It is not promoted because it sooo sooo cheap and safe!

If I catch it, I catch it. If I don't, even better. I can take time if work for it, and my kids are all in very good health so I'm not that concerned.

Duck and cover

a reply to: JAGStorm

No UV lights, but that is a good idea.

Yes, we have plenty of cards, games, books, and kids toys. I also have 5 acres, so the kids can go out and play without being around anyone else.

My wife uses peroxide for almost everything. No bleach for cleaning. The only thing I would use bleach for was a small amount in the rain water buckets to keep the water clean.

a reply to: LordAhriman

I am not panicked yet, just prepared. The thing is if quarantine or martial law goes into effect, you may not be able to leave your house. So it is more than just the fear of catching it.

originally posted by: MrRCflying
a reply to: LordAhriman

I am not panicked yet, just prepared. The thing is if quarantine or martial law goes into effect, you may not be able to leave your house. So it is more than just the fear of catching it.

Even if the flu comes and goes it never hurts to be prepared for anything. Natural disasters, societal disruption, I've even heard that a lot of preppers have used their supplies when they were laid off or in time of economic distress!

a reply to: MrRCflying

Plan that has the best chance of working during a pandemic?
Going out to the deep woods far away from all other humans and waiting it out.

Hope it doesn't jump to wild animals and make it all the way out to me.

originally posted by: MrRCflying

This is America. The corporations that run this country won't let a quarantine happen. They want people working no matter how sick they are, and they need to be able to leave the house to go pay for doctors visits and pharmaceuticals that likely won't help them through this.

I got prepared for Y2000 by 12/21/2012. Then I got mostly prepared for the 2012 event by 2019. But, I would say our preparedness already covers much of the pandemic fear mongering. Part of getting prepared is to try to get it so you can be strong enough to live through an event. The wife and I have altered our diets so we can more easily survive through a catastrophe. If you live off a junk food diet then are forced to switch to a diet which is highly prepared, it could take you right down.

After the great depression people started to change to a more natural diet, they could not afford to buy all the highly processed foods that were being poured on the public anymore, but they could raise chickens and grow their own foods. The highly spiced foods they were selling before that matched what the junk food diets today are doing, doping down society so they spend and spend to make the economy strong. It took a long time for the economy growth to recover after the great depression because people discovered that they felt so much better when they ate real food, the chemistry that made them socially active and spend everything they made plus make risky investments disappeared and society got more conservative with their money. But now these chemicals are in our foods again, feel good chemistry that is in many of the things we eat. It gets us into trouble by blocking our ability to reason correctly, similar chemistry in effect on our consciousness as booze has sometimes.

The right kind of knowledge is crucial to survive an event that is major, basic knowledge of medicine and where it is found in nature is important. Knowledge of how to dampen our personal immune system or actually increase it's power temporarily is important. Stocking up food and rotating it so it will not go bad is important, cangoods need to be rotated, so do things in the freezer. Having the basic spices in stock needs to be part of the prep, salt and pepper, some garlic salt or powder, onion salt/ powder/ or bits Have some butter in your freezer, also some extra sugar in stock. have a bag of flour in reserve, I keep at least fifty pounds of flour in stock, but I stock for my kids and their kids too.

Between what I stock and the stock of my two daughters, we can survive about three months. for about sixteen people that we would be taking care of while still be able to help a few extra of their friends somewhat too. I cannot extend this without wasting things, since I am the only one really stocking up in the family, rotation limits what I can stock without wasting food.

I think the #1 in my list is the R. O. Water filtering system I bought few months ago.

Still buying water bottles, so I have2 options.

Recently bought survival food for 2 or 3 days.

N95 masks and safety glasses. Also gloves.

Portable stove for wood. Survival gear. 2 portable batteries for car or small appliances.

One 12v kettle to plug in car cigarette plug, so I can boil water without fire.

2 machetes, one axe, one survival knife.

Some orher stuff. 😎👍

I'll just get right with God and have a bottle handy.

a reply to: LordAhriman

You might all be in great health but that's not going to last long if you don't have water.

And what about food? You do realize most grocery stores don't 'stock' the way they used to? (Pretty much what you see on the shelf is it).

So - you might not get sick but when the garbageman does, the bread delivery truck guy tips over, the local police fall victim to the flu - THEN WHAT?

Then what?

originally posted by: Trueman
I think the #1 in my list is the R. O. Water filtering system I bought few months ago.

Still buying water bottles, so I have2 options.

Recently bought survival food for 2 or 3 days.

N95 masks and safety glasses. Also gloves.

Portable stove for wood. Survival gear. 2 portable batteries for car or small appliances.

One 12v kettle to plug in car cigarette plug, so I can boil water without fire.

2 machetes, one axe, one survival knife.

Some orher stuff. 😎👍

Instead of the N95 masks, see if you can get a cheap respirator that you can put P100 or P3 filters on. I have N95, but they are a backup plan only. The P100 is designed to filter paint fumes, acetone, etc., so the filtering level is smaller, down to the size of virus. It will give better protection.

a reply to: MrRCflying

Yep. That's a good suggestion. Considering I have asthma.

Oh I forgot to mention my lovely dutch oven 👍

originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: MrRCflying

Yep. That's a good suggestion. Considering I have asthma.

Oh I forgot to mention my lovely dutch oven 👍

I gave my wife a "dutch oven" once. She did not appreciate it.