January 01, 2022 – Basics, Inventory Management, Stashing and Stacking

Net Control – N0KMO

N0KMO – Start talking about first what to prepare for. The most common question in preparedness is “What do I prepare for?” How do you prepare for something like a fire? Also tornado preparedness. So what do you prepare for?

I look at the likelihood of events for things to prepare for. For me it’s fire, tornado (a little), economic collapse. Another thing at the top of the list is when someone comes to my door. Also cyber attacks.

K0STR – Revisit the idea of fire in retrospect of what happened last week. But how many of us out there know what are flood situation is? Do we sit in a flood plane? How we researched that topic?

N0KMO – Good topic. Is there a good way to protect water storage and food storage during a flood?

KL7GLK – Here is Leadville a few years ago we had a flood warning. They were preparing for an old mine blowout. Flood can really happen to anybody.

N0KMO – If you are in the foothills, if there is a fire, after a fire if it is wet there could be mud slides. Flash flooding could also be a concern.

N0FXA – With flooding or fires, or any situation where you have to leave your residence. You will need to save your important papers and pets, etc. A Chevy Suburban, lots of things can be installed on these to make if a formidable vehicles. Models 2000-2003 had very reliable engines. Old school technology, they are also very cheap, can get one for $3000-$5000. 4 Wheel drive capabilities and can load a lot of stuff up in them.

N0KMO – Vehicle preparedness is something that needs to be looked at it. Winter preparedness, but how do I prepare my vehicle. First thing I look at is windshield wipers: RainX, wiper fluid, brakes, etc. RainX de-icer is something I’m going to look at.
Also check generators

Let’s talk about inventory. Look at duality, how can things be used to multiple uses. I look at my vehicles as a preparedness item, I look at them as generators or batter chargers. I go out a buy battery chargers so I can recharge my batteries. Vehicles can generate power for short-term.

K0STR – How far back are you going to have to go to get away from a solid state ignition? Previous styles of ignition are as susceptible to an EMP.

KF0FXA – That’s a tough question because different companies did things in different years. As a general rule without doing a lot of research, I would say 1990 would be a good cutoff for getting away from computer ignition systems.

KD0YBJ – It’s not just computers. If you want to get away from electronic ignition, to for 1970 or earlier.

CQB – If we have an EMP, we have more things to worry about other than driving.

N0KMO – But that leads us into other things. When preparing for an EMP, I put key items in a faraday cage. USB sticks with important documents and radios. When I’m looking at EMP preparedness I look at duality.

K0RBK – Expiration dates on medical items in a first aid kits are not necessarily unusable after the date. Different types of first aid kits for different things and for different areas.

N0KMO – First aid kits are definitely something to look at in a mission-based way.

Inventory management – Put dates on items that you are storing so you know how to rotate. Look into the idea of First in First Out (FIFO). When building your supplies, look at FIFO.

Think about a preparedness plan binder. Communications plan, important documents. Also PACE: Primary, Alternate, Contingent, Emergency. When looking at different items, look at that acronym and how it can be applied. An example would be routes out of the house. My primary is blocked, but I can get out with my alternate route. Just one way to look at PACE.

My encouragement is do some research, but in the end go with the research that has been proven.

NOTE: Please keep in mind that these are notes, not a transcript. Every effort was made to capture the main points of each comment as accurately as possible. If there is an error or a comment needs an edit, please send an email to info@coloradoready.org

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