Need help with a good SHTF plan

[Guest Bigryo]

Ok so I've got 4 people I'n my family. And due to one of their medical conditions we would have to stay at our home. Need advice on what all to have stocked up on. Here's a list of what i have prepared so far.
-1months supply of food
-.22 cal rifle with (3000 rounds ammo)
-.40 cal pistol with (100 rounds ammo)
-.25 cal pistol with (150 rounds ammo)
-ax,machete
Need ideas

[UncleJak]

Water and toliet paper. Sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[runco]

Lessons learned from West Virginia this week, you must have lots of water or the ability to have/process drinkable water!

[tennessee01tacoma]

Water, more than you think you can use and drink, and ways to procure and purify more water cause you can't store enough. Food and a way to prepare it. Alternative ways to keep your house warm. Medical supplies, stock it even if you don't know how to use it, could be a barter item or maybe someone can use it on you. Tools to do the work usually done by powertools.

[Guest Bigryo]

What are some good techniques to purify water

[runco]

Distilling is an option.  Unless the impurities like a chemical spill agent have a boiling point less than 212F, then this is not a good option. 

[Guest Bigryo]

Alright thanks any more ideas other than water

[TrickyNicky]

Start grabbing some survival books. You can get some good ones written for the commercial market and you can get military training manuals. You can even download some stuff as apps.

[tnguy]

Depending on that medical condition, you probably want to ensure a whole bunch of supplies for that. Then the usual medical stuff. Start stockpiling some of the hard-to-get stuff if you can (antibiotics, painkillers etc)

[nightrunner]

It all depends on what SHTF scenario(s) you are planning for and how long they will last.

Basics for anything are food, water, shelter, and security.

[Guest theconstitutionrocks]

Ok so I've got 4 people I'n my family. And due to one of their medical conditions we would have to stay at our home. Need advice on what all to have stocked up on. Here's a list of what i have prepared so far.
-1months supply of food
-.22 cal rifle with (3000 rounds ammo)
-.40 cal pistol with (100 rounds ammo)
-.25 cal pistol with (150 rounds ammo)
-ax,machete
Need ideas

I think what you need to start out with is the "replacement/sustainment" mentality. You need the following:

Shelter

Food

Water

Power

Communications

Fuel

Transportation

Method of exchange (barter/money)

Medical stuff (you DID say they had medical problems)

Protection

Repairs

Things to fight boredom (entertainment)

 

Then there are the host of situations...what has happened? What is not available? How long will it not be available? Does the situation allow you to stay where you are or will you have to leave? Bugging in IS generally a good choice. You have shelter (assuming your house is still there), you have a stock on hand, the surroundings are familiar and comfortable...Bugging out IS sometimes warranted but you have to remember...if you bug out...where do you go? How do you get there?, where will you stay?, what can you take? will you get stranded?

 

So, with all that said...some suggestions:

At least 20 gallons of gas with stabilizer

A few extra propane cylinders (you DO have a grill right?) alternatively a dual fuel camp stove

rechargeable solar lights

A 400 watt power inverter, extension cord, and LED/CFL bulbs (make sure you know how to use it, hook it up, and DON'T kill your car battery (run it every hour or two for 10 min)

Food that can be eaten without prep or refrigeration (grains (rolled oats, shredded wheat, etc and peanut butter or tuna) gives you the carbs, fats, and proteins

Water-never have enough, would do AT LEAST 10 gallons per person JUST for drinking, cooking/bathing is extra. Remember, your water heater holds usually 40-50 gallons

WASTE DISPOSAL-nature IS gonna call, you better have a plan

Feminine hygiene (sp...kinda early) momma and the girls need it, be nice to them

What is your situational awareness plan?...monitoring radio/tv, what's happening, how does it affect you?

Security-4 people ain't alot. How do you maintain 24/7 alert status? early warning? defense plan...barricaded doors are fine but bullets go through walls

What is the relationship with your neighbors?...is it good?, will you watch each others backs?

 

Just a start and I gotta go to work...others?

[Erik88]

Do you have any pets? My dogs have backpacks and they will carry their own food and water.

 

You'll find more info at www.survivalistboards.com 

[Spots]

A good knife is gonna be a valuable tool whether staying put or bugging out. Some large enough to do heavy jobs, but small enough not to be a big hassel to carry. Also, I'd look into a long gun with more punch. A .22 is a good gun for small game, and can kill a deer with a perfect shot. But if I'm hunting for food, I dont want to worry about the perfect shot. Id rather have something that can down deer (and human) with one shot. A .308 semi auto is my choice, but a good lever or bolt gun in .308, 30-30, .30-06, .243, etc will work, as will a shotgun with different loads from birdshot to slugs. Id also suggest stock piling a little more ammo as you have the money. I work construction which is painfully slow right now, and even with my limited income I still make it a habit to buy a box of shells everytime I go to walmart. Normally either a box of 308 or .45, as well as getting setup to reload, which the members here have helped me tremendously with. Id stock pile a few gallons of bleach, it can be used to purify water. Id shoot for 6 months of food per person, and also slowly lay back open pollinating seeds for a garden. Start learning bartering skills. I'm a blacksmith and believe the skills to fix and make metal objects will always come in handy. I always try to improve on my library of skills becuase all the equipment in the world won't help an untrained man. Some of the stuff I've learned is logging and farming with draft horses, reloading, blacksmithing, wood working, log cabin building, masonry work, hide tanning, and wilderness survival (fire building, snares, etc). Some of those skills were learned here, some were learned by growing up with a mountain man as a dad. So try to spend at least equal amounts of time learning and gathering supplies. Tapatalk ate my spelling.

[Guest Bonedaddy]

For one, LOTS more ammo and get you a rifle with some punch. An AR would be nice to have but a good semi auto 30.06 would be my go to, otherwise, such as a Remmy 742 or get a good 700 bolt gun, maybe Savage in that round. Don't know 'bout where you live but that round is still readily available 'round here and covers all you might need it for. Learn to repair your weapons and have them "iffy" parts on hand. All that food and water can get ya killed if ya can't defend it. Everything Spots said is wise thinkin'. Learn to do things without many tools. Such as make a ground grill if your stove or grill somehow becomes unuseable. It's easy as long as ya got a little shovel or somethin' to dig with and a grate or can make one with woven limbs that's been heat treated first. There's all kinds of stuff like that that could be of use. I hope ya can hunt and fish and learn to make simple traps for squirrel and rabbit that can do the huntin' for ya when you can't,as well as trot lines or a jug system for them fishies. Grow lots of 'tater, beans, turnips and corn, if ya can. Stockpile extra clothing when ya can. Somethin' warm and cool and some camo. All kinds of stuff already said but the one thing that ya might wanna consider is teaching the rest of the family some of these same skills so they can acquire the mindset in that situation 'cause it can be a real bitch if the ol'lady and kids do nothin' but panic and hinder every damn thing you do. This to me is probably the most important 'cause they can get ya all killed without even realizing it til it's too damn late.

[Jonnin]

Medicine -- at the very least a good bit of first aid.  A big issue will be infections from injury, or not usually dangerous stuff like the flu can be an issue due to needed more fluids than you have etc. 

 

Hygiene is a big deal for keeping illness away.  Never forget that.  A way to bathe, wash your hands, wash your utensils, and so on is critical to not getting deathly ill. 

 

Some sort of bathroom facility.   That includes a sit-down toilet like thing of some sort, a hole for the byproducts to go into, and paper for yer backside. 

 

Do not forget the women.  They need --- female stuff that men like to forget.  (Pads, possibly cramp pills, and more). 

 

A good start is to treat it like an extended camping trip, really.  You need food, fire, clothing, bed, shelter, water, first aid, etc.    Old clothing can be saved to wear, for example, so what if it has a few holes?  Its gonna get more holes soon if you really are stuck out in the woods.   Old blankets too, same deal. 

 

Modern stuff is handy.  A bunch of butane lighters beats rubbing sticks together or playing with a magnifying glass or wet matches.   Charcoal and lighter fluid saves fighting a random stick fire to cook on.   There are thousands of uses for a couple of tarps.   Its probably worth having a radio, though your car may count for that -- need some source of news of the outside world.   Gatorade (etc)  powder to put in your water is full of things that help after a hard day of physical stuff and if your water purification tastes bad (some do) helps that also.  

 

Its easy to go overboard and spend big.   But hard - core camping stuff is often cheap -- army/navy surplus stuff still exists, as one source -- and used stuff from the people that buy it, go one time, and then sell it is another.  

Edited January 13, 2014 by Jonnin

[Guest Bonedaddy]

Somethin' else....buildin' materials. Anything and everything you can find room and can afford to store. Metal electrical conduit, rebar, flat and angled steel barstock, CPVC, couplngs of all kinds, primer and glue (you can build all kinds of stuff with this as well as plumbing repair), tarps of all sizes, all the treated 2x4s and 1/2" plywood you can store. Ya never know how handy that stuff is til ya need it. All the different sized nuts, bolts, washers, nails and screws you can sock away, as well as, Romax wiring, assorted wiring and couplings, connector nuts and electrical tape. And tape. Lots of it. 'Specially good ol' duct tape. Bailing wire. Rope and twine of all kinds. Carabiners and strong "O" rings. Clean 5 gal. buckets with lids (food grade preferably). Strong 33 gal. garbage bags (combine these two and you got a toilet with disposable waste ability). Just think how easy you like things to be and go from there. Think about everything you do every day. It's more than you realize.

[ironsniper1]

Mosin nagant get one or three and start stocking up on 440 round spam cans

[Dane]

More ammo and a bigger rifle and/or a shotgun. Once you finish with your stay at home plane you need to work out a plan for if you can't stay at home. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[monkeylizard]

Remember, your water heater holds usually 40-50 gallons

 

Yep. In most cases that's a good plan. However, if I were in W Virginia right now in the contaminated zone, I don't know how much I'd trust that I was able to get my supply valve shut off before that stuff made its way into my water heater.

 

Also don't forget about your toilet tanks. I don't know that I'd drink it straight up (rust and floating rubber bits from old bolts/seals, etc.), but it's clean'ish water that can be used for other things.

[Guest Bonedaddy]

A good guard dog or 4, too and food for'm. Preferably the kind that don't bark til they've snuck up on their quarry and skeered the dookie outta'm well in advance of the house.

[monkeylizard]

Do not forget the women. 

 

 

I thought you were going to suggest stocking up them. Heck, I can barely keep one maintained BEFORE the end of the world.

Edited January 13, 2014 by monkeylizard

[Guest Bonedaddy]

I fo'got the large rolls of plastic sheeting, too. Heavy mil. You can build a greenhouse with that and some PVC or wrap the bodies of ner-do-wells in it for disposal, among other uses. Staple gun and lots of staples are handy, also.

[Guest Bigryo]

Thanks for all the advice so some of you said a bigger rifle whAt would be your suggestions. I'd like something not expensive to buy ammo for

[Guest theconstitutionrocks]

Thanks for all the advice so some of you said a bigger rifle whAt would be your suggestions. I'd like something not expensive to buy ammo for

Thanks for all the advice so some of you said a bigger rifle whAt would be your suggestions. I'd like something not expensive to buy ammo for

A good hicap magazine fed weapon in a common medium caliber that is simple rugged, doesn't require a lot of tlc ...the AK family, imo, is the way to go. There are alot of types out there but if you can land a converted Saiga it is made by izmash ( Russian ).

[Guest theconstitutionrocks]

[quote name="theconstitutionrocks" post="1094511" timestamp="1389657625"]A good hicap magazine fed weapon in a common medium caliber that is simple rugged, doesn't require a lot of tlc ...the AK family, imo, is the way to go. There are alot of types out there but if you can land a converted Saiga it is made by izmash ( Russian ). Just make sure its 922r compliant...get it from a reputable dealer