Hello All
What an amazing forum - its full of intelligent people!
Having been a lurker for some time I thought I should try to contribute.
One thing has been puzzling me. While everyone seems to be very well informed and brimming over with the lastest equipment, does anyone store food and water for an emergency. It seems to me a well stocked larder and a full water tank at home would, in some cases, be a lot more helpful, but this topic is very rarely discussed.
I realise this might be not be the essence of this forum, but your views either on or about the subject would be interesting.
joblot

Welcome!

<<does anyone store food and water for an emergency>>

Sure, many of us do. Some folks, for various reasons, store only short term amounts (2-5 days worth) aimed at specific local circumstances, some store more, and I believe that a few store a progidous amount of food - say, a year's worth.

A month or so worth of food is not difficult for most folks to store and not terribly expensive unless one wishes to have easily transported stocks. Water is another story and is more important early on (and less so latter, as circumstances are apt to change and folks adapt).

Water sufficient for more than a day's needs becomes heavy, so some folks have layered plans for water in particular. A single apartment dweller may be able to store up to a month's worth of water (some here do); families in private single family dwellings can do the same (and some here do).

Storing more than a frugal 30 days worth of potable water requires a lot more planning, effort, and expense for most urban dwellers. I use a 55 gallon drum per person and the drums are integrated into storage system for all sorts of related foodstuffs and consumables. (55 gallons is merely convenient - one could argue some other volume of the same order of magnitude). I figure that as 30 days very frugal use (there are two dogs in the equation as well; 330 gallons for 6 people and 2 dogs is slim rations for 30 days water.) In more normal "off supply"" use, that 330 gallons might more realistically be a week to 10 days worth of water. If I knew in advance that we would have to rely on that supply for an extended period, we MIGHT be able to stretch it to 40-50 days, depending - but who would know that in advance? Not a likely scenario in my opinion; a weeks worth of normal use should see us into better circumstances one way or another. I store more water than some and probably less than others.

Storing more water than I do it implies many things with regard to intentions, fears, plans, etc. I have layered contingency plans, most of which are known to all family members (some are just mental exercises for me). Each person here does what they believe best suits their local circumstances and potential difficulties.

Fire away with your thoughts and questions - there is a good diversity of opinion here.

Regards,

Tom

Water:
Everytime I go shopping I buy a gallon or two of bottled water and simply add it to my stock in the basement. I have probably arount 40 gallons there by now on shelves. Simple procedure that I have used to slowly build up a supply. I aim for 2-3 days storage for potable water. I live in a single family dwelling with a well. My intent is to be able to supply for short term blackout conditions. I also am working out a solution for off-grid water acquisition. Behind the house is a stream that doesn't run dry and I have filters and treatment means that will suffice for anything not hazmat related. (anything hazmat related would require evac to better digs anyway)

Don't yet have a generator for running the well pump. Still weighing the options (Solar vs diesel etc.)

Have considered a rain water cachement system and found many well thought out ones on the net for DIY or purchase. Expensive but relatively useful here in the NH, USA where there is decent monthly rainfall totals.

Food:
Always buy an extra can of soup or dinty-moores beef stew or Mac&cheese or beef-a-roni stuff when shopping and store it next to the water supply in the basement. When the wife takes off to her mothers or sisters I have something easy to eat and the stocks rotate well. I probably have more than a weeks rations there for the whole family (four people - two are young-uns and four cats - In an emergency I won't be feeding the cats in the summer as they are good hunters anyway) If the situation goes much beyond a week I will be kicking into one of my long-term plans many of which involve relocation. As a member of the local emergency response network (Emergency comms as a HAM and EMS as an EMT-basic) I will be involved / supported during medium range -( till the infrastructure completely disolves under the strain) For real long term societal collapse I have other plans but they are a bit off the track for this forum.

Sure! Canned goods & many other dry goods store well. I always make sure to have some that can be eaten without needing cooking and/or additional water. In addition, I keep MREs & lifeboat rations in various cupboards along with jugs of filtered, distilled or simply "drinking" water I buy from grocery stores. I also keep lifeboat rations and water bottles, boxes and/or bags in my Jeep, bugout bag & NERT bag. I allow myself to use them in non-emergencies, so everything gradually gets used up and replaced, thus insuring a fairly fresh supply. I just have to make sure to replace what I use. It's not hard. Unlike some people, I like MREs a lot (but then, I've never eaten them daily for months at a time...). For rations, I prefer S.O.S. Food Labs; my girlfriend prefers Mainstay.
Stay safe,
J.T.

Good idea on the slow accumulation of water and canned goods. If I can make that a habit, I should have some stores in no time. Right now I have four cases of MREs and six gallons of water.