Since we have so many new members in our group, and so many of these new members are beginning Preppers. Welcome, and we are so glad you have come! Here is some information that will help you as you start your prepping journey.
Rules of Three
Preppers often talk about the rules of three. This posting will focus on the rules of three relating to what length of time you should prepare for.
We start by preparing for a three day emergency, then a three week emergency. After that, we prepare for three months, and finally for three years - essentially for the very long term.
Here are some guideline for Three Days and Three Weeks.
Prepping for Three Days
First, organize what you need for three days. This would cover a power outage, a snow or ice storm, or any other situation where you needed to stay indoors for about 3 days.
This includes:
Enough water for every person in the family (and pets) at the rate of a gallon a person a day for drinking. This does not include water for hygiene needs.
Enough food for each person for three days. Most of us usually have at least a three day supply of food. And it does not have to be the special emergency food that you see advertised. Eat what you like, and you may need a source of cooking heat. Your grill will come in handy here, or maybe you have a camp stove.
You will need a heat source if the power is out at your all electric home, and you have to stay home in the winter. Maybe a buddy heater or kerosene heater (appropriately ventilated) Warm clothes, blankets, and sleeping bags if necessary.
Wipes for hygiene needs. A five gallon bucket or two filled with water to flush the toilet, if your water is pumped to your home with an electric pump.
Games and books, paper and colored pencils, paints, etc., to keep yourself and family occupied.
Prepping for Three Weeks
If you have your three day plans worked out, only then should you work toward a three week plan.
Many people ramp up their food purchases. Don't make the mistake of buying things just because they are on sale. If your family won't eat the food you store, you will have just wasted your good money. Think about simple meal plans that will keep everyone fed for about 3 weeks. Also, how will you cook the food and boil water during that long of an outage.
During the ice storm in Kansas in 2002, I was very fortunate to have my heating system, hot water, and range all on propane as the power was out for 2 - 4 weeks in some areas. If your home is all electric, there will be no heat or cooking in a grid down situation unless you have made plans for such.
Speaking of water, many preppers without easy access to a stream, pond, or lake will purchase flats of water for drinking and cooking. Juice and water in cans is also valuable and should not be discarded. Some Preppers will purchase a waterBOB that fits in the tub and can hold about 50 gallons of water. You fill up the waterBOB at the beginning of an emergency so you can use the residual pressure in the lines to get as much water as you can. Any water that is used for dishes or washing should not be thrown out, but should be used for toileting
If it is winter, you can collect snow and ice, preferably ice. In other seasons, a rain barrel is desirable. As you prepare for a three week bug in, now is the time to learn how to purify water to make it drinkable.
Wipes for hygiene are useful, but now you will have to think about how they are disposed. If you are on a septic system, all you need is used water for toileting. If not, you will need to think about alternatives. These will vary depending on where you live. Some options are a composting toilet and building a temporary outhouse.
Thoughts:
There is so much to consider when you start prepping, and it can seem overwhelming. When I started prepping, it was with the desire to become self sufficient. I wanted to learn skills that I could use for the rest of my life. I wanted to be resourceful and frugal. So I learned canning, sewing, some bushcraft. I hunted for deer to feed my family. I learned to forage to add to our table. I learned to garden. The guidelines I give here are very useful, but you will soon see that prepping/self-sufficiency is a lifestyle, and the peace you have because of what you have done and what you know to take care of yourself and your family is invaluable.
All the best to you and Have Fun Prepping!!!
Ruth
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