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<<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