Showing posts with label power outages. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

The lights are out... now what

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

www.poormansurvivor.net

ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

The lights are out... now what

Hurricane, tornado, thunderstorm and fire season is here, and one of the biggest mistakes one can make is filling a cache in preparation for a weather event with all manner of expensive and technical supplies while forgoing research and preparation necessary to meet some of the most basic likely challenges of a long term grid down scenario.

You know all those expensive flashlights and fuel lanterns you own? Depending on how long a power outage situation lasts, there's a possibility that they'll become useless before your need for a light source ends.

Imagine spending thousands only to find yourself sitting in the dark because you didn't consider the need for cheap light that doesn't require a power source.

You can save yourself that headache by going ahead today and picking up a few boxes of cheap emergency candles to store with your prepping equipment.

It also may be a good idea to have a store of wax on hand for grid-down preparedness. Wax is useful for a number of preparation scenarios. And, if you have wax on hand, you can make candles using these instructions from Old Sturbridge Village:

Equipment Needed

· Thermometer — Type used for jelly or candy making.

· Double boiler — This can be a tall metal juice can in a pan of water, stove or hot plate.

· Wax — Good candle wax, often referred to as "145 melt point" — It is harder than kitchen paraffin and makes better candles.

· Wicking — Medium or fine-braided cotton wicking, purchased by the yard.

· Sticks, pencils, or dowels for holding the wicks.

· Scissors

· Sharp knife

· Newspapers for the floor

· Pot holders

· Baking soda — For safety, have an open bowl of baking soda nearby; it can be used to extinguish fires in an emergency.

Instructions

1. Start the wax melting: Break up the wax into fist-size chunks and put them into the top pot of the double boiler over medium heat so that the water is boiling. It will take about 1/2 hour to melt the wax. When the wax is nearly melted, check the temperature. The wax should be 150 degrees. If it is too hot, turn it off and wait for it to cool down.

2. Get the wax ready: While the wax is melting, measure out a piece of wick that is about the same length as your wax container. Add 2 inches to tie the knot. Tie each wick around a stick. You can put more than one wick on a stick as long as they fit in the pot without touching.

**Caution: Remember that wax and fire are potential hazards. Don't overlook basic care and safety. Watch out for loose clothing. Keep pots firmly on the burners. Have potholders ready. You might like to know that wax at 150 degrees will not burn you but the hot water is a hazard. Throw baking soda on any drops near the stove or burner.

3. Dipping the candles: Dip the wick into the wax so that the wick, not the knot, is submerged. This is just a quick dip; take it right out and wait a few seconds for the wax to harden. Dip again. For the first three or four dips the wick will be crooked and kinky. After about four dips, gently pull the wick straight. Be careful not to pull off the wax. After each dip now you should straighten the candle. In the beginning, you can dip in fairly quick succession, but as the wax builds up, it retains heat and you must wait several minutes between each dip.

A candle gets dipped about 20 times.

You can judge for yourself if it is the right size and if it looks like it will fit into a candle holder. When it is the right size, cut off the oddly shaped butt end with a knife and dip it once more into the wax. Let candles "cure" by hanging the sticks somewhere for an hour or so.

Now, simply cut the candles from the sticks and you're ready for anything!

Yours for the truth,

Bob Livingston
Editor, The Bob Livingston Letter^®

SIDEBAR

How to Prepare for Food Shortages in 2023

Why have food prices risen so wildly over the last 12 months?

And what does it have to do with Covid-19, labor shortages and supply?

Has government policy made it worse?

And what should you do to prepare for the social, economic, and political pain to come?

Click Here to Discover 'How to Prepare for Food Shortages in 2023' <<

Vaseline is an American brand of products made from petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly has its roots as a by-product of the oil refining industry in the 1800s. This unique, jelly-like substance has many uses and a long shelf-life, making it well-suited for homesteading and survival situations.

Vaseline makers suggest a 'best if used by' date of around three years for a new container of Vaseline. However, anecdotal evidence shows people may be using their jars for as long as 5 to 10 years. Given its long shelf-life, you may want to stock up on Vaseline so you have it on hand for its many homesteading and survival uses.

Keep reading to learn about the many survival uses for Vaseline...

32 Survival Uses for Vaseline

Why do you need an emergency radio?

· . Just 60 seconds of hand cranking provides more than 45 minutes of radio

Radios: Having a couple small, portable radios on hand is going to be a must. If there’s a disaster, you’ll need to listen to the radio to get news about what is happening around you….grab a TacRight Emergency Radio:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185665101473

4Patriots Patriot Power Cell Solar Phone Charger

USE THIS solar gadget to survive an emergency!

In 2022 alone there have been over 70 attacks on the power grid with reports of six in Florida, five in Oregon and Washington.

And according to national security experts, this trend is only going to continue.

As America's power grid comes under increasing attack and/or disruption…

THIS is your lifeline in a crisis.

It's peace of mind that you can...

· Call family and friends in an emergency

· Signal for help from first responders

· Stay connected to critical weather updates

· https://www.bonanza.com/listings/4Patriots-Patriot-Power-Cell-Solar-Phone-Charger/1419398891

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That's Bad News...

You Can’t Buy Life Insurance After You’re Dead-Prepare NOW for Emergencies…

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A Smoking Frog Feature, Shallow Planet Production

Monday, September 27, 2021

Things are bad-Preparing for power shortages. more

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

www.poormansurvivor.net

ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

How To Prepare for A Power-Down Scenario

As a society, we have become almost completely dependent on electricity. We use electrical devices and appliances numerous times every day, and we assume they are going to work just fine when we turn them on. During blackouts, we are given harsh reminders of exactly how much we depend on electricity.

Whether it comes from a nuclear detonation above the United States by a terrorist group or a massive solar flare from the sun, an electromagnetic pulse has the potential to completely change life as we know it—and not in a good way. Most people could easily survive without power for two or three days. It’s not unusual for major storms to knock out power for longer. However, longer-term power outages turn into desperate situations locally as water and food run low and/or generators run out of fuel before any help or supplies can be obtained or delivered. If the grid stays down for weeks or longer, civilization as we understand it will break down completely as more people become thirsty, hungry and increasingly desperate.

Government functionaries and electric company talking heads have said for many years that the electrical grid is vulnerable to terrorist attack. But the grid is also in danger from an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon attack or even solar flares. Experts say a Carrington-class major solar flare event would fry the entire electrical grid. A Carrington-class ejection is a reference to the 1859 EMP that melted telegraph lines in Europe and North America. I have been writing about the need for preparedness for years.

My advice continues to be that everyone have at a bare minimum three days of food and water on hand. In addition to food and water, guns and ammunition, alternative sources for heating and cooking, personal hygiene items, food for pets, junk silver (pre-1965 U.S. dimes, quarters, half dollars and dollars) and gold are necessities.

As Megan Stewart, home-prepping expert, and allaround farm girl extraordinaire explained, there are several ways that you should prep your home for blackouts. Blackout Box: It’s a good idea to prepare a black - out box for your home and possibly one for your car and even work. A blackout box is simply a waterproof box or other container that holds everything you might need in the case of a blackout. Having a black - out box keeps you from having to search all over the house for needed items.

Blackout box items include a Glow Stick, an extra set of house and car keys, extra cash, flashlights and extra batteries, extra milspec glow sticks (these are EMP-proof), candles, fire starting supplies (so you can start the grill, propane stove or outdoor fire for cooking), small fire extinguisher, instructions or manuals for lanterns and other non-electric equipment, tools needed to shut off utilities, emergency weather radio (with dual power options such as hand crank or solar power) and a first aid kit. Power Preps: Consider buying a portable or even a full-sized home generator that you can rely on in many other emergencies as well. Get a small folding solar panel setup and research ways to at least install a solar power system as a backup to prep your home for blackouts. And store a fully charged portable power bank to power your cell phone and other electronics.

Lighting Preps:

Most people prepare for a blackout by stocking up on battery-powered flash - lights and candles or lanterns. These are both good options to have on hand. I definitely recommend you keep at least one or two high-quality tactical flashlights in your home ready to use at any time. But one of my favorite things to have on hand in a blackout is several hand crank flashlights. These never need batteries and provide light via three bright LED bulbs. Unless the hand crank breaks, it’s going to provide bright light with minimal effort.

My Energizer Carabiner hand crank flashlights have been on hand three years now without fail. I’ve yet to pick one up, crank the handle, press the button and be without light. If the light is weak then I crank it a few times as I head down the hall or wherever I’m going and I have great light. The kids and grandkids can operate them safely and thus far they have proven to be indestructible.

Cooking Preps:

Make sure you have an alternative way of cooking food if you use an electric stove. Stockpiling canned foods and home canned foods are a great weapon in your arsenal to prep your home for blackouts. A propane or charcoal BBQ grill is a great back up cooking method during blackouts because its size will allow you to cook that meat from the freezer quite quickly. Some people choose to build a solar-powered oven which is great if climate allows for it.

Things are bad. Supplies are short. There are no replacement parts. We're backordered through to Fall 2022. Meanwhile equipment breaks and can't be repaired. Elevators, buses and HVAC systems are failing. Construction is in crisis. Fridges for medicine and food are failing. Car manufacturing has stalled. Even grass seed is in short supply. There aren't enough truck drivers. There are too many container ships in too few ports with far too few longshoreman, truckers and berths.

Whether it’s a nuclear holocaust, a deadly plague, the perfect storm, or a large-scale terrorist attack, when a cataclysmic event goes down you can guarantee one thing: the power will go out. [Ours has gone down six times in as many weeks; giving our generator quite the workout].

And while you don’t need electricity to be a hunter-gatherer for the rest of your life, if you want to help return human society to its former greatness—or just be able to have a James Bond movie marathon again—you’ll have to figure out how to generate your own power.

There are many options available, from the amateur to the extreme. Here are a few great ways to enjoy modern technology after the shit hits the fan...

7 Ways You Can Generate Power After a Disaster

You may also like...

10 Solar Gadgets for Preppers

RESOURCES

Food Shortage Has Started

Watch this video

Food Preservation Methods

Tips and strategies for deepening your pantry

Over the last 18 months, the shortages and economic uncertainty of the nation have led to many people not only gardening but putting back food by canning and other food preservation methods. Unfortunately, throughout the COVID-19 fiasco, some food preservation products have been in short supply. Canning jars and lids are still hard to find in some areas. In other locations, the availability is sporadic. While canning is a great way to put back food, there are some clear disadvantages too. No food preservation method is perfect for all situations. It is likely in your best interest to use a variety of food preservation methods to keep your pantry stocked through good times and bad.

The time to prepare is now...

History may not repeat itself, but it often rhymes.

It is quite possible that we are in the early innings of another “Greater Depression” and that the economic collapse that began with the “Great Recession” could reverberate for another decade or more.

Bombshell! Damning Evidence Leaked!

The lab-made theory now beyond a shadow of a doubt

Do you believe you deserve to know if the SARS-CoV-2 virus that has upended the world, and your life, for the past 20 months was made by humans? I know I deserve to know that, as does everyone. Well, the field of that battle just got a little bit clearer.

A leaked document shows that in 2018 the EcoHealth alliance had pitched DARPA to fund a huge amount of work on bat coronaviruses including mixing and matching the most dangerous elements of them (so-called chimeric virus assemblies) as well as identifying and inserting the best human furin cleavage sites in them to increase pathogenicity. All of this work was to be done in collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology up to and including playing a significant portion of “the bat lady’s” salary.

TECHO TYRANNY IS HERE

David Icke, one of the most controversial personalities of our time, has become a central figure in the UK Freedom Movement protesting ongoing lockdowns and the otherwise general medical tyranny following COVID-19’s emergence in 2020. Icke argues that the extreme overreaction by governments that we’re witnessing around the globe in reaction to COVID-19 (see Australia, New Zealand, UK, Canada, etc.) has little or nothing to do with public health, but is rather a well coordinated plan to clinch control and transform society as we know it. In this Brave New World of frightening technocratic dictatorship, what it means to be “human” and have “rights” no longer applies.

https://www.peakprosperity.com/its-about-control-an-interview-with-david-icke/?utm_source=Peak+Prosperity+Newsletter&utm_campaign=7fb9b26a66-weekly-peak-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d77483a02b-7fb9b26a66-144135517

Natural disasters don't wait for a convenient time

And you shouldn't wait to prepare either. In some cases there is little to no warning.

Prepare now to lessen the impact of disasters and emergencies

Remember: You can’t buy life insurance after you’re dead!

Better –Safe- Than- Sorry Super Survival Kit

Your Emergency Survival Kit Includes:

· 4Patriot Solar phone charger

· 72-hour emergency food pack [25 year shelf life+3 Bonus Meals]

· Solar/Hand crank 4Patriot emergency radio

· 4Patriot Greens sample pack [Power supplement]

· 3 Luna Nutrition bars [assorted]]

· Cleaning Wipe Pack+Personal Hygiene kit

· Emergency Rescue Blanket

· 2-PackHand Warmers

· Steel River Emergency Tent

· Emergency Poncho

· Deck of Playing Cards

· Mini [42 piece] First Aid kit

· American Natural Superfood sample

· MACE Triple-action Police Model pepper spray/UV Dye

And more-Full Details at:

· https://www.ebay.com/itm/255146721578

TRS volt power bank - Back in stock!

3000mAh Power Bank Battery by Volt comes complete with a micro USB charging cord. This battery can be used as an extra or replacement battery

https://www.bonanza.com/listings/Volt-Solar-Power-Bank-Great-for-Emergency-Power-Anytime/10

I’ve purchased a couple of power banks to add to my bug out bags. Do they lose power over time? How often should I check or recharge them?

-From Chris D.

Answer: A quality power bank can hold a charge for up to 6 months.

The thing is, most power banks will slowly lose charge over time depending on the temperature the power bank is stored at.

In addition, lithium-ion, and lithium-polymer batteries used in power banks eventually lose their capacity (typically between 200 up to 1000 cycles depending on the battery cell quality.)

The bigger the battery is, the less cycles you will need to charge it and the longer it will last. But, I would check them every 6 months if I were you.

Inflation to Rise Faster Than Previously Projected: OECD

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Free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom!

You Can’t Buy Life Insurance After You’re Dead

Not Prepared?

That's Bad News...

You Can’t Buy Life Insurance After You’re Dead-Prepare NOW for Emergencies…Small radios, books, emergency power cell or solar/battery radio weather radio!