So, you live in an apartment...and the power goes out.
Perhaps only for a few hours...but what if it is for days, weeks or months?
Some communities may have shelters you can go to. You may have friends or family in homes that still have power or have ways to adapt to a grid down situation that will welcome you in.
But...
What if you are stuck where you are?
What can you do to make the situation livable?
How do you prepare? What should you have on hand?
First things first..
1) Food/Cooking/Water
2) Sanitation
3) Temperature Concerns
4) Lighting
5) Security
6) Communication
So, here we go...
1) Food.
Consider how much you have in your freezer(s). If the power is only going to be out for a few hours, leave your freezer shut. If you live in a cold climate and this happens in winter, snow can be your friend. An outage of a few days will destroy your frozen foods, so in that case, pack your freezer full of snow OR, better yet (if low temperatures permit), quickly construct an *outdoor freezer* in a snow bank, preferably one that is shaded. Disturb it as little as possible to retrieve food. Frequently check for thawing.
In hot temperatures/climates, ALWAYS have a few 2 liter bottles of water in your freezer. Again, leave the freezer shut as long as possible before accessing. Once the thaw has commenced, start cooking.
Cook as much of your food as possible, especially meats.
Cooking can be a problem if you haven't prepared a back-up for your stove and oven. I have a Coleman camp stove along with a dozen bottles of propane to power it. I also have a small rocket stove I can quickly set up. You can also use a grill or even an open fire. (Please NOT indoors! On a concrete patio or in the parking lot. Be prepared to share cooking supplies with less prepared neighbors to minimize conflicts. You may even have to share food.)
If you have the expertise and the ability and the supplies to can any and all meat that is thawing, now is the time.
EDITED TO ADD: Solar ovens are absolutely your friend in a grid down situation. You can bake bread, cookies, make a casserole, etc. Anything that can be cooked in a regular oven can be cooked in a solar oven. A friend of mine baked a couple loaves of bread in a solar oven on a sunshiny day in February. The temperature was -13.
Water is of prime importance. Most of us have rice, beans, etc. that need water to cook. Store as much water as you can. Two liter bottles or large juice bottles can be rinsed out after the contents are consumed and the bottles filled from your tap. When the power goes out and there is no water pumping from the municipal supply, it will be vital that you have water stored. Remember to stay hydrated!
If you have a river/stream/creek nearby or a swimming pool or lake or pond, filtering, boiling and sterilizing said water is also a great idea. There are many products available to do this at many price points.
Storing some paper plates, plastic utensils and paper napkins/paper towels is also a great idea. Save them for when you NEED them, don't use them as a convenience because you don't feel like doing dishes tonight!
2) Sanitation.
Okay, the power is going to be out for several days at least, but biology doesn't care. You gotta go!
Supplies to have for this (that are easily stored in an apartment or other small space) are:
Trash bags, a foldable portable commode or a toilet seat that fits on a 5 gallon bucket (and the bucket, of course), toilet paper and/or wash cloths, a squeeze bottle for a make shift bidet. Spray bottles for cleaning solutions are needed as well.
You can also have a *chamber pot* on hand if you don't want to leave your bedroom at night. (yes, they still make them, check Amazon) but you'll have to wash/sterilize it daily, and that's a big burden on your water storage.
I strongly suggest you DOUBLE the trash bags you use in the portable commode or your 5 gallon bucket. It lessens the chance of a biologic spill incident when you dispose of it.
Where to dispose? Most apartments have a dumpster for residents. So, that is one option and if the trash hauling company is still hauling regularly, a good option. Other options include: burying it if you have an area set well away from any inhabited structures and can dig an appropriate latrine, arranging transport to a municipal dump site, or perhaps your city fathers will have pick-up sites for residents to bring their bathroom bags for disposal.
You could also take a page from the US armed forces during their forays in the middle east and burn it. This would require more resources (such as gasoline/kerosene/diesel fuel) and much caution to avoid starting wildfires. There is also the question of pollutants being released from the plastic bags as it burns and the problems smoke can cause.
A shower would feel great about now, but water being precious, not an option. Bathing sufficiently can be accomplished with a minimal amount of water, a gentle soap and a washcloth.
IF you have an outdoor shower (portable ones can be had at most outdoor stores and online), rainwater catchment is a great idea. (Rainwater catchment is also a great way to bulk up your water stores)
Keeping your living areas clean is of paramount importance at this point, as disease spreads quickly in crowded areas that are unhygienic. Now is NOT the time to break out the super heavy duty chemical cleaners. Since most of them require rinsing after application, it digs deep into your water stores.
Follow the K.I.S.S. principle...Keep It Simple, Stupid !
Vinegar (which also kills odors), original Listerine and watered down chlorine bleach (8 parts water to 1 part bleach) will eradicate the majority of germs and bacteria.
Sweep and/or dust/dry wipe the area to be cleaned first. Don't waste your supplies and water by soaking an area before sweeping/wiping.
If an individual in your residence is ill, you need to follow even more stringent sanitation protocols.
Sheets/blankets/bedding can be sanitized by sunshine. Four to five hours in full sun does the trick.
3) Temperature Concerns
I live in the NorthEast United States. A power outage in winter is a huge concern up here. I used to live in El Paso Texas. A power outage there in summer would be concerned a disaster!
So, depending on where you live and the season a power outage occurs, you have to have different preparations.
Lets tackle the cold first.
Cold can and will kill you. And it can do it FAST! Your objectives are to stay warm by keeping your living space warm, keeping your body warm.
Heat sources: There are many heat sources you can use to warm your living space, but many of those sources can also kill you. Carbon monoxide poisoning kills many people each year. So does fire. Let's not become a statistic, okay?
First and foremost, consolidate your living space. Close off any and all rooms that are not being used.
Second, dress in layers. Wool and silk are great fabrics in the cold. Layering reduces the amount of heat you have to produce in a living space to feel comfortable/stay alive. Layer your bed, too. Multiple quilts, blankets and comforters will keep you warmer than one or two. Reduce your outdoor time as much as you reasonably can. It is much harder to GET warm than it is to STAY warm. Open and shut doors quickly. Don't let valuable heat out!
Remember to stay hydrated. Cold can dehydrate you fast, you just don't feel it as fast as you do in the heat.
Open your curtains/drapes on sunny days and let the sunshine in to increase the warmth in your living space. Close them at sundown to reduce heat loss.
Ventless propane heaters are a good choice for warming a small space. No carbon monoxide to worry about.
Up here, we have some apartments that have small wood pellet stoves. The chance of fire is low, but many of these stoves require electricity to be efficient or to keep running.
There are Kerosene heaters on the market that are supposedly safe to use indoors, but I would use them to heat up an area and then shut off until needed again.
A very small number of apartments up here have wood stoves. These are, of course, vented outside. And a few apartments have actual working fireplaces.
NEVER use a grill indoors, especially a charcoal grill. This will kill you.
Similarly, do not hook up a generator indoors. People do it every year (usually newbies in the area) and people die every year from this mistake. This will kill you.
Do not attempt to have an open fire indoors. Fires kill.
So, basics are: layer your clothes, layer your bedding, close off rooms, stay indoors, pick safe heating devices.
On to the problems of excessive heat.
Heat can also kill you. Heat also promotes the growth of bacteria, it spoils food, and just makes many of us feel miserable. (I'm one of those people that cannot live without A/C)
First things first STAY HYDRATED!!!
This is where your water supplies become vital to survival.
Dehydration will muddy your thinking, screw up your hand-eye coordination, slow your response time, etc.
It also messes up your body chemistry.
In hot climates/seasons, dehydration can kill you within 12 hours if the heat is bad enough. For a lot of that time, you'll be unconscious (fortunately?).
Even if you do not feel thirsty, DRINK. You might have to put your fluid intake onto a schedule just so you don't forget.
Besides hydration, here's are some other things to do:
Close curtains/drapes during day, open them and windows at night. Keep your interiors as dark as possible during the day. Definitely cook outside.
Dress for the heat. That does NOT mean wandering around in your skivvies while you grill hotdogs. Take a page from the Middle East...cover up! Long sleeves, long dresses or pants and a big brimmed hat while outside. Loose clothing is best. Pick cool fabrics. 100% cotton will wick moisture (sweat) away from your body and make you feel cooler.
Stay out of the sun as much as possible. Sunburns, besides being painful, can also dehydrate you and cause open wounds (that can provide an entry for infection).
Wiping down with a wet washcloth can add a lot to your comfort. You can even try mixing water and rubbing alcohol 50/50 before a wipe down. A drop or two of peppermint or wintergreen oil will make you feel cooler.
Another hint from the Middle East...drink tea, especially mint tea. You can make *sun tea* with mint tea (saving your cooking fuel for other endeavors).
Confine as much of your physical activity until after sundown. Watch animals...that's what the majority of them do in high heat situations.
Same as in the cold, do NOT attempt to run a generator indoors (that happened near me when I lived in Beaumont during Hurricane Ike...2 people died). Better you lose all the food in your refrigerator than lose your life.
...
I'll post the rest later. If anyone has anything to add, please do!
Excellent topic and good advice! Please do continue.
Please continue! All of this information is spot-on, thanks for the post.
And on we go....
4) Lighting
While not a necessity, lighting is a good thing to have.
Lighting can be used to signal others, prevent accidents and just plain comfort.
There's already a flashlight topic on the boards, so other than to mention a hand crank flashlight as a damn good thing to have in a power outage, I suggest you go read that thread.
Candles:
All shapes, sizes, scents and degrees of longevity are in the candle world.
Some will only burn for an hour, some for 8 hours.
Some are expensive as hell, some are cheap.
They all have one thing in common: Do not leave them unattended!
Candles are an open flame. Open flames burn down houses. 'Nuff said.
I prefer unscented or lightly scented candles with a long burn time. These are usually pillar type candles.
But tea candles are cheap and usually come in multi-packs, so I have plenty of those as well.
Remember to have some decent candle holders.
Oil Lamps:
Oil lamps are a good thing to have in a power outage. The care and maintenance is something you have to learn, but once you do it's easy.
Oil lamps run on lamp oil, or kerosene. You can also make a simple oil lamp that runs on olive oil/coconut oil/corn oil/whatever oil.
A lamp needs a wick and an oil reservoir. That's about it.
The wick technically isn't there to burn. It's to keep a continuous flow of fuel (oil) going to the flame. Same as the wick in a candle.
But the wicks do burn a little and have to be trimmed down a bit or pulled up higher to give a brighter flame or less smoke.
There are so many different styles, from ancient Rome look-a-likes, to Victorian oil lamps to camp lanterns, to railroad look-a-likes. Just get the style for your needs. When there is not a power outage, it can easily be part of your home decor, yet doesn't scream "Prepper!".
Again, it's an open flame and should not be left unattended.
Battery operated "tap lights" are a good, though not long lasting, item to have in your preps. Especially nice to have one by your door so you can identify anyone that comes knocking.
There are also "camp lanterns" that are battery operated that give out a lot of light.
Pick whatever is in your budget and suits your needs.
5) Security
Apartment security in a grid down situation is going to be a problem.
Whatever you have, your neighbors will very quickly find out about.
To avoid conflict (or worse yet, an organized raid on your apartment by neighbors) your best course of action initially is to share your resources with less prepared neighbors.
But conceal as much of your resources as possible! Do NOT invite neighbors in.
Do initial prep of all foods within the confines of your apartment. If you have to take water out to add to a stew/whatever, use a 20 oz bottle.
If a neighbor has no way to cook, build an outdoor fire if possible and cheerfully offer to share it with them.
If you have to share a grill, share the grill, but move it back close to your door as soon after food preparation as you can. It may not stop them from stealing your grill, but it may make them think twice. And keep the fuel for the grill (propane, bag of charcoal) inside your home. Best not to tempt people.
If a neighbor is out of a particular resource and comes to your door, do not refuse them outright. Water? Have some 20 oz bottles prepared. Toilet paper? Have 4 or 5 rolls you have cut in half and give them a half roll with an apologetic smile.
Food? Prepare ahead of time some one gallon "Care" bags (ziplocks). Inside them have a can of tuna/canned chicken/whatever, maybe a can of ravioli (especially if they need food right now), some smaller ziplocks containing crackers, rice, beans and maybe a couple of packets of instant oatmeal.
The main idea here is to avoid all conflict for as long as you possibly can.
But then, conflict comes. Whether we like it or not, in a grid down situation lasting more than a week, conflict will absolutely come.
In a crowded urban area or an apartment situation, it may come even faster.
How you choose to deal with said conflict is entirely your choice. I know quite a few people reading this have firearms. IMHO, armed conflict is the last resort in this situation.
As far as physical security of your apartment....make sure your doors are locked even if you are just taking out the trash or cooking a meal in the parking lot. Any time, and I do mean ANY time you walk out of your apartment, that door should be firmly locked behind you.
There are already threads on here about physical security for apartments.
6) Communication
You need to have communication for many reasons in a grid down situation.
First, to find out how long the situation will continue. Second to let your family and friends know where you are and what your particular situation is.
Many communities have emergency texts or calls that go out during emergency situations and you may want to register with your municipality for this service.
Your cell phone. If you don't have one, skip this bit.
Even in a disaster, cell phone service may keep going for quite some time. Most cell phone towers have emergency back up batteries to keep service going. The time can range from 2 to 8 hours (from what I have read). That is sufficient time for you to ascertain what is going on, what you should do, what the government is doing, contacting family and friends, etc.
But do YOU have a battery backup bank for your cell phone? They are fairly inexpensive, can charge your phone and some other electronic devices quickly and will not take up much room in your preps.
Other communication devices that may prove useful IF you can find battery operated model or hand crank models are:
CB radios
Walkie Talkies
AM/FM/Weather band radios
As far as HAM radio, someone with more expertise than I can step up and explain those (I have no clue if they come in a battery powered model)
A note about landline phones...
I went through Hurricane Ike in Beaumont, Texas. Beaumont was ground zero for the storm surge. They evacuated the town...although I stayed for various reasons.
We had a landline phone.
It worked throughout the hurricane, the week long power outage afterwards, everything!
Never had a problem with it.
I don't know what it is, but something about those old phone lines....
Just some very simple helpful hints to assist.
If you think the grid may go down immediately turn your Refrigerator/Freezer to its lowest settings to maximize the hold time in the event of a power outage. You can reset it once the threat is over.
Once the power goes out the water should still work (at least for a while) immediately fill up the bath tub and whatever empty containers you may have. Yes the bathtub may have soap scum or be dirty but the water can still be either filtered or used to flush the toilet or other gray water uses.
Save some empty 2 liter plastic soda bottles or buy some folding water jugs. (https://www.amazon.com/UST-Collapsible-Transparent-Construction-Drinking/dp/B00PAW0ZXU/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=water+jug+collapsible&qid=1627683932&sr=8-9)
The folding jugs are generally about equal to the cost of a large carton of bottled water. The benefit though is that for the one time investment you have a reusable container. Potable water is the easiest and cheapest prep so long as you use tap water and reusable containers.
Instead of tap lights I suggest these lights they put out a bit more light. (https://www.walmart.com/ip/LED-Night-Light-Kasonic-200-Lumen-Cordless-COB-LED-Light-Switch-2-Pack/872065430?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=2190&adid=22222222222086093682&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=74423261630152&wl4=pla-4578022831559642&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=872065430_10000002215&wl14=cob%20battery%20wall%20light&veh=sem) They use AAA batteries.
Which brings me to my final suggestion for power out lighting. Try to standardize on one size battery for any thing battery operated whether it is a AA or AAA is irrelevant but rather find a way to use only one type of battery to simplify your batter inventory.
Easy way to tell if your freezer has thawed out: drink half a water bottle, then freeze it and lay it on its side. If you come back and the water has all refrozen on the bottom, your freezer was out for long enough to start worrying about food safety.
Awesome, AWESOME thread Lamby :awesome:
OH!!! I luv the 'What if.....' game!
Now I'll begin again because I'd only read a bit of it before I realized it was a 'What if...?' ! 👏
Apartment dwelling precludes a lot of the traditional prepper staples, I'm lucky enough to have a garage in my apartment complex that opens up a lot of options.
I'd love to have a few empty 55 gallon barrels to install for community rain catchment; I have plenty of 5 gallon jugs and collapsible water containers to keep my household going for weeks but as mentioned being able to scale up to keep neighbors from growing desperate would be a big plus.
I've considered the community sanitation question; I'm lucky enough to have some actual lawn in my complex so a communal latrine (or several) would be on the table. I have enough buckets to theoretically keep a composting toilet in constant rotation for my household, but storing enough cover material is difficult and I wouldn't count on being able to source it on short notice.
I have two decent sized solar panels, but even if I get my energy storage squared away I don't have a good way to mount them that I would trust them to not wander off on short notice. I can keep my flashlight batteries charged with small panels that are less eye catching.
(https://i.imgur.com/kNHEu2j.jpg)
I find these LED fairy lights to be an amazing and cheap area lighting option. you can run them down your hallways or other high traffic areas for enough light to navigate by (read: not trip in the night). You can get USB ones like the above that run on power banks or ones with a built in AA battery box. I back mine up with a few AA LED lanterns for areas that need more light (cooking area; reading etc.) and would rely mostly on headlamps for task lighting.
With the combination of modern LEDs, rechargeable batteries and small cheap solar panels I *almost* think it's foolish to even stock candles and lamp oil. I keep both around for the sake of the thing but NEVER expect to actually use them except for fun.
For indoor cooking alcohol is my main option; although at half the fuel density of propane or gas I'd probably lean more on outdoor cooking with propane. I do keep a wood gas stove around but keeping a supply of wood is difficult. I'm sure you can scrounge a few pallets on any given day but I wonder how quickly other people would get the same idea.
My apartment complex all has fireplaces, but I'm convinced they amount to a negative as lots of cold air comes down the chimney unless you get up a few times in the night to stoke the fire. I also worry about someone who has never tried to use their fireplace burning my complex down trying it for the first time with improvised fuel under duress. I've been considering my options for using my tent wood stove as an ad hoc wood stove insert, but I've been too nervous to test it outside dire need. I've always liked the idea of the window stove jack:
(https://i.imgur.com/I4X8u0M.png)
but of course it carries its own risks and can eat up a lot of floor space in a small apartment. As with a cook stove wood can be pretty hard to store in a complex as well.
I have a kerosene heater, and they are pretty cheap locally on craigslist, but the fuel isn't cheap and they can smoke a bit on startup and when they run out of fuel so you do need to be careful. I'm now looking into the chinese diesel heaters as they come down in price:
(https://i.imgur.com/e7Wz14e.jpg)
reviews are mixed, and likely a bit underpowered for my apartment but perhaps a bit more fuel efficient than a kerosene wick heater, and like kerosene I'm much more comfortable storing diesel in my garage than gasoline. If I could get a diesel vehicle again a diesel heater would be a no brainer. I'm also tempted to get a propane heater since I already have propane stoves for cooking; but I think the fuel consumption is much higher although I haven't done the math in a while to confirm that.
scheduling a community watch within an apartment complex probably wouldn't be easy in this day and age where most of the tenants don't really know each other, but if you can swing it I'm sure it'd be worth it. At the short ranges of the size of most complexes I'm sure keeping the apartments with good sight lines in contact with each other would be trivial even with blister pack radios. While I doubt many (any?) of my neighbors are armed even just shining a spotlight on roving brigands might be enough to dissuade most. I don't know any of my neighbors enough to loan them a gun, but if you do it may be an option; convincing modern normies that taking turns as a night watchman would be worth it is a stretch I'm sure but if you can find people already working odd shifts maybe you could swing it.
At Christmas time, the Dollar Tree usually has a string of 10 LED lights that run on 2 AA batteries. They usually have red, blue, green, yellow, and white. At Halloween, they've had orange and purple. Since they are LED lights and don't require much power, I use the 8/$1 Dollar Tree batteries. I noticed last year that Walmart had sets, too.
Dollar Tree also has 3 or 4 (depending on packaging) snap light sticks for a dollar in various colors. Green seems to last the longest.
I try to keep some solar sidewalk lights charged up. They don't put out blinding light, but are used as a night light to keep from kicking something in the dark.
I've really been thinking a lot about this:
QuoteWhatever you have, your neighbors will very quickly find out about.
To avoid conflict (or worse yet, an organized raid on your apartment by neighbors) your best course of action initially is to share your resources with less prepared neighbors.
But conceal as much of your resources as possible! Do NOT invite neighbors in.
Especially this..
QuoteIf a neighbor is out of a particular resource and comes to your door, do not refuse them outright. Water? Have some 20 oz bottles prepared. Toilet paper? Have 4 or 5 rolls you have cut in half and give them a half roll with an apologetic smile.
Food? Prepare ahead of time some one gallon "Care" bags (ziplocks). Inside them have a can of tuna/canned chicken/whatever, maybe a can of ravioli (especially if they need food right now), some smaller ziplocks containing crackers, rice, beans and maybe a couple of packets of instant oatmeal.
The main idea here is to avoid all conflict for as long as you possibly can.
Camping all through my childhood and adulthood I've grown a strong hesitation to throw out any kind of bag like a Ziploc.
So I'm thinking about that last part and remembering all the older bags that I just need to throw out but haven't yet and thought 'hey, why would a good disguise for not having a lot of stuff
to hand out, is to hand them over anything that needs a baggie in a raggedy one.'
How do I cut a roll of toilet paper in half? What does each half look like look like?
Quote from: Ever (Zombiepreparation) on August 29, 2021, 03:44:51 AM
How do I cut a roll of toilet paper in half? What does each half look like look like?
Gonna have to find you some pictures! Or do it myself and take a picture.
To cut, I've seen suggestions for using a band saw or a paper cutter, but I have done it with a large and (very) sharp knife.
Quote from: Lambykins on August 29, 2021, 07:18:49 AM
Quote from: Ever (Zombiepreparation) on August 29, 2021, 03:44:51 AM
How do I cut a roll of toilet paper in half? What does each half look like look like?
Gonna have to find you some pictures! Or do it myself and take a picture.
To cut, I've seen suggestions for using a band saw or a paper cutter, but I have done it with a large and (very) sharp knife.
A bread knife works well. Just saw the things. I've only done this with wide kitchen-rolls though, narrow tp sounds messy. I prefer a margin for error.
One thing I've been thinking about lately is my detached garage. I prefer it to an attached one as it buys some insurance against house fire; either my garage or my apartment building could burn down without both burning down so I can decentralize my preps, but it also means I have to cross a well lit parking lot with anything I want to ferry back and forth.
Already I try to time my trips later at night when fewer people may be watching, and try to disguise things I'm moving (like breaking down carbines so they can be moved NOT in long obvious pelican cases), but if it came time to move my water and bulk food stores I'd probably have to be a bit obvious about it. I can't think of many ways to do it that wouldn't draw even more attention to what I'm doing; so being quick about it in the middle of the night is probably the simple easy answer.
Quote from: Lambykins on July 28, 2021, 11:14:05 AM
So, you live in an apartment...
Great Post. Lots of good things to think about. And I like its from a slightly different perspective, not somebody treking off into the woods.
Bed bricks/stones add great comfort in cold conditions.
Quote from: Cascade Failure on September 11, 2021, 07:24:55 PM
Bed bricks/stones add great comfort in cold conditions.
Great idea! I hadn't thought of that!
Quote from: Lambykins on September 11, 2021, 07:58:57 PM
Quote from: Cascade Failure on September 11, 2021, 07:24:55 PM
Bed bricks/stones add great comfort in cold conditions.
Great idea! I hadn't thought of that!
Are hot water bottles a thing in the US? Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GR88TRE
They are a great British tradition; my grandparents had them, and my parents, and we've got three in the house now. Historically they were made of rubber and after a decade or so would perish and you'd wake up with wet feet. These days they're a synthetic polymer and last forever.
Quote from: sheddi on September 12, 2021, 04:42:54 AM
Quote from: Lambykins on September 11, 2021, 07:58:57 PM
Quote from: Cascade Failure on September 11, 2021, 07:24:55 PM
Bed bricks/stones add great comfort in cold conditions.
Great idea! I hadn't thought of that!
Are hot water bottles a thing in the US? Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GR88TRE
They are a great British tradition; my grandparents had them, and my parents, and we've got three in the house now. Historically they were made of rubber and after a decade or so would perish and you'd wake up with wet feet. These days they're a synthetic polymer and last forever.
Or one like this, multipurpose: www.amazon.com/Flents-Combination-Douche-Enema-Kit/dp/B01N4V67AR
Quote from: sheddi on September 12, 2021, 04:42:54 AM
Are hot water bottles a thing in the US? Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GR88TRE
They are a great British tradition; my grandparents had them, and my parents, and we've got three in the house now. Historically they were made of rubber and after a decade or so would perish and you'd wake up with wet feet. These days they're a synthetic polymer and last forever.
I have two that I use in winter!
I still want a stone pig after hearing a British lady's explanation of it - basically a stoneware "pot" shaped like a pig that they poured hot water in, then corked. It then radiated heat until the water was cool.
Quote from: CG on September 12, 2021, 07:26:59 AM
Quote from: sheddi on September 12, 2021, 04:42:54 AM
Are hot water bottles a thing in the US? Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GR88TRE
They are a great British tradition; my grandparents had them, and my parents, and we've got three in the house now. Historically they were made of rubber and after a decade or so would perish and you'd wake up with wet feet. These days they're a synthetic polymer and last forever.
I have two that I use in winter!
I still want a stone pig after hearing a British lady's explanation of it - basically a stoneware "pot" shaped like a pig that they poured hot water in, then corked. It then radiated heat until the water was cool.
Oh, one of these?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/362608419146
Edit: the image doesn't want to embed, so I've attached it instead.
Quote from: sheddi on September 12, 2021, 08:37:27 AM
Quote from: CG on September 12, 2021, 07:26:59 AM
Quote from: sheddi on September 12, 2021, 04:42:54 AM
Are hot water bottles a thing in the US? Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GR88TRE
They are a great British tradition; my grandparents had them, and my parents, and we've got three in the house now. Historically they were made of rubber and after a decade or so would perish and you'd wake up with wet feet. These days they're a synthetic polymer and last forever.
I have two that I use in winter!
I still want a stone pig after hearing a British lady's explanation of it - basically a stoneware "pot" shaped like a pig that they poured hot water in, then corked. It then radiated heat until the water was cool.
Oh, one of these?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/362608419146
Edit: the image doesn't want to embed, so I've attached it instead.
Yup, 'cept she had one that was actually shaped like a pig with the legs, head, and tail! And not £300 to ship it!
ETA: I think hers was larger, and actually designed to help heat a room, not just your feet or bed.
How about these?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/823965293/antique-english-water-bottle?ref=sold_out_ad-1&plkey=4b1f72ee512cd2c2ee27bd1d0a3a4ee8fceaf86b%3A823965293
https://www.etsy.com/listing/753566599/antique-copper-foot-bed-warmer?ref=sold_out-8
https://vermontsoapstone.com/products/handmade-soapstone-bed-warmers/
Quote from: Raptor on September 16, 2021, 10:37:09 AM
https://vermontsoapstone.com/products/handmade-soapstone-bed-warmers/
Those are kind of interesting, but a fireproof brick wrapped in a towel would be a lot cheaper. :awesome:
Quote from: CG on September 17, 2021, 06:18:48 AM
Quote from: Raptor on September 16, 2021, 10:37:09 AM
https://vermontsoapstone.com/products/handmade-soapstone-bed-warmers/
Those are kind of interesting, but a fireproof brick wrapped in a towel would be a lot cheaper. :awesome:
Good point here are some ceramic fire bricks for $20.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200325974_200325974?cm_mmc=Bing-pla&utm_source=Bing_PLA&utm_medium=Heaters%20%26%20Stoves%20%2B%20Fireplaces%20%3E%20Wood%20Stoves&utm_campaign=US%20Stove%20Company&utm_content=173618&cmpid=53403385&agid=3200075897&tgtid=pla-4577473067240905&prdid=173618&gclsrc=ds
Alrighty, I live in Former air base housing.
All the apartments are uniform, from the layout, to the tile on the floors,
This is an itemized list (with links if I can find the item)
of how I have dealt with the power going out for up to 36hrs before (it snowed in Tucson a couple years ago and this happened.)
First things first..
1) Food/Cooking/Water
We usually have 3-4x 32 pack "cases" of bottled water from Sam's Club on hand.
We usually keep (on hand) 6 months of food (pasta, rice, canned foods, canned meats)
And one of the Coleman butane stoves, but bought one last fall that also has a propane hook up.
2) Sanitation
I have a "Blueberry Bucket" but it has to be emptied daily.
Luckily the power outage was localized and the sewers kept functioning, but just in case...
3) Temperature Concerns
We put up moving blankets over the hallway opening in the living room, and that cut us (4 kids 2 adults) down to about 350sqft.
A couple (3, walmart 1/2 in wick and a Dietz Jupiter 3/4 in wick) kerosene lanterns (not lamps, lanterns)
kept the living room/kitchen area at about 55-60 degrees.
4) Lighting
Like I said, kerosene lanterns, and Dollar tree touch lights that take AAA batteries.
And a single pedestal lamp in the living room.
5) Security
We live in (not the best part of) Tucson, we're pretty much always on medium alert.
6) Communication
If they weren't within earshot, I have some Motorola gmrs/frs handhelds.
As far as the fridge, and Entertainment, I did the "Steven Harris" battery bank in my car at the time (95 corolla)
and ran an extension cord into the apt through one of the living room windows (also covered with moving blankets.
I had a HF 1K/1.5K inverter in the car running from a Minn Kota 50amp trolling motor circuit breaker
so if there was a problem it would throw the breaker instead of frying the inverter.
The inverter ran my laptop for entertainment, and the fridge and chest freezer, and 1 pedestal lamp with a 5W led bulb.
Bucket toilet seat lid
https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Zone-Brand-Bucket-Toilet/dp/B004KLY5CE/ref=sr_1_24?keywords=emergency+toilet+kit&qid=1648499836&sr=8-24
Gas One dual propane/butane stove
https://www.amazon.com/GS-3400P-Portable-Backpacking-Emergency-Preparedness/dp/B01HQRD8EO
Moving Blankets
https://www.harborfreight.com/40-inch-x-72-inch-movers-blanket-47262.html
Kerosene lanterns
https://www.amazon.com/Stansport-Hurricane-High-Lantern-12-Inch/dp/B000K6FI7E/ref=sr_1_20?keywords=kerosene+lantern&qid=1648500032&sr=8-20
Dietz Jupiter
https://www.amazon.com/Dietz-2500-Jupiter-Lantern-Black/dp/B00MAFPNJG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1K5ROG4KJM239&keywords=dietz+jupiter+kerosene+lantern&qid=1648500243&sprefix=dietz+jupiter+kerosene+lantern%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-1
"Pedestal" Floor lamp
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-71-Floor-Lamp-Black-made-of-Metal-with-a-Plastic-Shade/12173437?athbdg=L1600
5w led bulbs
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-LED-5-Watt-40W-Equivalent-Daylight-Color-Frosted-Light-Bulbs-4pk/503317791?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0
Touch lights
https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Operated-Cabinets-Alkaline-Batteries/dp/B07TF4VMCR
HF inverter (or better)
https://www.harborfreight.com/1000-watt-continuous2000-watt-peak-modified-sine-wave-power-inverter-63522.html
Circuit breaker
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/minn-kota-circuit-breaker
The laptop, deep cycle batteries, and other stuff is easily enough found locally, or no longer available new, so no links.
J
Quote from: Lambykins on August 29, 2021, 07:18:49 AMQuote from: Ever (Zombiepreparation) on August 29, 2021, 03:44:51 AMHow do I cut a roll of toilet paper in half? What does each half look like look like?
Gonna have to find you some pictures! Or do it myself and take a picture.
To cut, I've seen suggestions for using a band saw or a paper cutter, but I have done it with a large and (very) sharp knife.
I 'think' I've solved my sharing toilet paper if approached by neighbors. (if I'm off base tell me)
I have begun changing rolls when it's 4/5ths used, saving those small ones for requests if approached. And since it would be a time when I'm also supposed to not have enough to share 'that much' I will make sure my roll on the spindle is also that low for appearance, always working from a sequestered roll myself.
Quote from: Ever (Zombiepreparation) on April 19, 2022, 01:56:53 PMQuote from: Lambykins on August 29, 2021, 07:18:49 AMQuote from: Ever (Zombiepreparation) on August 29, 2021, 03:44:51 AMHow do I cut a roll of toilet paper in half? What does each half look like look like?
Gonna have to find you some pictures! Or do it myself and take a picture.
To cut, I've seen suggestions for using a band saw or a paper cutter, but I have done it with a large and (very) sharp knife.
I 'think' I've solved my sharing toilet paper if approached by neighbors. (if I'm off base tell me)
I have begun changing rolls when it's 4/5ths used, saving those small ones for requests if approached. And since it would be a time when I'm also supposed to not have enough to share 'that much' I will make sure my roll on the spindle is also that low for appearance, always working from a sequestered roll myself.
Sounds like a good plan to me. When we last filled some food buckets (from mostly 1-5 pound pasta, rice, and bean plastic bags) I saved some of the empty bags for this purpose, "sorry, but this half bag of rice is all I can spare".
Quote from: Crosscut on April 19, 2022, 02:16:35 PMWhen we last filled some food buckets (from mostly 1-5 pound pasta, rice, and bean plastic bags) I saved some of the empty bags for this purpose, "sorry, but this half bag of rice is all I can spare".
Ah hah! 💡 Don't know if I'd of ever come around to thinking of this before I 'needed' the cover story.
ack!!! There's more of this Weather Event for looks like a week. It's getting ready to be strainedpowergrid cold and all the dangerous, scary, deadly even, side effects to prepare for.
Must review this thread then pull to the ready the necessary or just handy items packed in this small urban apartment. And run through some possible scenarios and items needed to maybe reduce impact in worse case.
Electricity being a looming 'What if....." and all. :D
Living in a trailer now.
Since this in the North Country, there are certain strategies used to keep warm in what is basically a metal box.
It snowed, so we *banked* the trailer, i.e., snow was shoveled around the base of the trailer to block wind/cold air from getting under the trailer. It really does help.
In my bedroom, when I make my bed, here's how I do it.
Mattress, then a warm blanket, then my fitted bottom sheet, then my top sheet, then my comforters and my quilt. I sleep toasty warm. That bottom blanket under the sheet makes a world of difference!
Also, I know a lot of folks eschew the top sheet these days, but in cold weather it really does help as well.