Hi. I'm new here, so if this is in the wrong forum, please forgive me (and feel free to move to the appropriate one).

I am interested in putting together a survival kit. Hurricane Katrina showed us the necessity of being, well, overprepared. 72 hours is minimum; more likely, especially given where I live, it's going to be a bit longer than that to get help. I live in Utah, so it should be very well prepared, but people are people.

I have some kit, but that was "from the life before". I became disabled in 2003, and have been ever since. If I am to put together a new kit, I don't know how to do it. I can only make, at max, $1477 a month (it's a bit longer story than that, I'll explain more if needed). And I just got turned down for food stamps. So, I have to do anything I do on the cheap. And I have food allergies as well, so MRE's probably aren't going to work. So, with that budget, and the knowledge of and earthquake, what can I do and in what order should I do it? Thanks.

I'm sorry to hear of your tight financial situation.

As for food, there is probably an easy solution. You can stock on regular canned foods durable items like rice or pasta from the supermarket. That's what equipped.org recommends over MREs and freeze-dried food as a more economical choice. It probably tastes better (or at least no worse). The main drawback is inconvenience: it's bulky and heavy (compared to freeze-dried food), and it may require a bit of preparation (more hassle than MREs). However, if you're bugging in, that shouldn't be a big factor.

Are you preparing for an earthquake?

Welcome to ETS.

Funding limitations stop many of us from preparing the way we would like. First thing I would do (in keeping with a short discussion in another thread) is determine my monthly/annual budget and how much I can realistically put into a preparedness effort. One thing you might think about is whether the equipment will be dedicated to emergencies or can be used day-to-day. Dual use gear makes more sense to me. Can you afford to buy stuff you'll never use other than in an emergency that may not happen... ever. I can't justify it either.

MRE's are over-rated IMO. Yeah MRE's last a long time, but so do many canned goods at a fraction of the price. Don't get caught up in buying "stuff" that some guy is selling for "survival". Buy more of the food you eat now, rotate it so you have enough to get you through a hard time. How much room in your home do you have for a pantry? Doing this you can have supplies for a much longer period and it's what you eat now. That's what we do. I bought some MRE's years back and considering the price it was a waste of money.

That's a start. Look at water storage too, basic needs of life -- shelter, water, food.

To give a good advise tell us what your disability would be usefull, but I fully understand if you don't want to tell that in a public forum.

Things I would start with (i'm not from Utah so not sure what dangers and resources are Utah specific):

- Know what the actual dangers are you want to prepare for. Check the local emergency management / red cross websites.
- Add to that how that would effect you specificly.
- Identify what you need to survive.

Some disasters can be seen coming and will give you some time to react: Wildfires, flooding, etc.

In that case I would spend my resources in the ability to get away fast. If I assume you are less mobile than most, I would invest in:
- Making plans with neighbors, friends, familiy to pick you up during a evacuation. Make sure you have a bag with essentials, but also invest in them in normal life.
- Have a emergency fund, so you can pay for a ride if nobody wan't to pick you up or pay for (beter) shelter if you are evacuated.
- Have a vehicle your self, but that can expensive.

Assuming the first two, have a bag with essentials. Best would be something you can carry your self and doesn't take up too much space. But medical supplies/devices can be big, so a hard compromise. Small and portable, because you want to be able to fit in a family car, with a family already in it.

Some disasters can occure suddenly: earthquakes, tornado's, etc.

In that case making you house more survivalble would the priority. Again assuming you are less mobile; you won't be able to take cover as easily.
- Make sure items are secure in house, so they won't fall on you or become projectals. So bolt funuture to the walls and have little above your head.
- Stormproofing / earthquakeproofing is recommended; but probably not in your budget. (although some metal straps don't have to be expensive, but totally depending on the building.)
- Making plans with neighbors, friends, familiy to help you out.
- Basic emergency kit; food, water, stove and medication/medical supplies. I would stack up on regular items; canned or dried. If you can spare the cash, using sales/bulk can even save you money in normal life.

To continue with Tjin's thoughts, knowing your general or specific disability would be helpful. Mobility is an issue.

Also, Utah is a big place, are you near Provo or SLC, a smaller urban area or in a more open area?

What are the specific emergencies that are likely in your area? Heavy snow, power outages, earthquakes, wildfires, et al. Is your intent to bug-out (leave) or bug-in (shelter in place)? Different threats, different response.

As an example, I'm in southern California and the two issues I'm concerned with are earthquakes (EQ) and wildfires (WF). An EQ is a come as you are event, it happens and you are wherever you are. After the EQ there is little point in bugging out.

On the other hand, where I live, wild fires start days to maybe a week away. Fires that start nearby are taken care of quickly, the ones that start well east can get very big and containment is not easy. So bugging out is a very real possibility. Different threats, different response.

I will join the chorus and recommend against MREs, primarily because they are heavy. I have consumed some while on fire lines and rescue operations. They are OK, but you can do just as well at a decent supermarket.

Most markets have energy bars (Clif bars and similar). Try some and see how you like them. Stock the ones you like for emergencies. There are many more brands coming onto the market. A good many of them are simply glorified candy bars, about equivalent to a Snickers bar (which is actually not all that bad nutritionally). With Clif bars at least, don't worry about expiration dates - they last well beyond the time on their wrappers. Their big advantage is - no cooking or preparation required, other than tearing open the package. Supplement them with canned goods that are reasonably nutritious and that you like -perhaps beef jerky?

The big item is water. Keep you canteens and containers filled and ready to use. I don't bother with bottled water. Basically, it just an added expense. One way or another, you will need at least a gallon a day, especially in warm weather. This is where canned goods shine. Most fruit and veggie goods are predominantly water - don't waste a drop.

Gather clothing that will work for your weather and climate. This means you will most likely have to adjust the items on a seasonal basis, but that is OK - it gives you a chance to review all the contents of your bag.

I imagine you will have meds or appliances relevant to your disability. They, obviously, are high on your list.

I share your concern about EQs, being also from SoCal. There are many simple measures, not at all costly, that you can take. Take down anything handing on the wall over your bed and other items that will fall over and cause injuries - bookcases are big culprits here. Definitely no mirrors on the ceiling....

A lot of us are willing to be helpful, and more specific details will help. Develop a plan for anticipated situations and get ready as best you can. None of us are anywhere near perfect, and nature rarely follows the script, so improvisation will almost certainly be necessary.

I live in Ogden/Layton Utah. The winter here is the biggest threat; my car is plenty outfitted for that. The big big one is a 7.0 earthquake from Logan to Provo, somewhere in that region. It will be bad. The only scenario I have for that is shelter in place; the only way in or out except through the far south of Utah is through canyon passes, and I'll bet gold against sawdust those will be either closed by rockfall and debris or severely messed up making leaving impossible. Good news is, the local faith promotes "self reliance". The vast majority don't know what that is going to entail when the rubber meets the road, but we'll get to that. So, those are the two scenarios I can think of, barring the apocalypse. (It's kind of funny how this started.)

Shelter in place after a big EQ makes a lot of sense. This site has some very good advice on preparing for a big tremor. pay attention to preparing your house and be sure that you have necessary supplies stashed at various places (don't put all your eggs in one basket).

Be sure you can turn off your gas and other utilities and that you have alternative means of cooking, etc. Depending upon how densely urbanized your neighborhood may be, fire in the aftermath of an EQ may be a possibility (think San Fran 1906 or Loma Prieta 1989).

Welcome!

Shelter in place has some big advantages. Even in a small apartment, you can store more things than you could ever carry.

A couple of thoughts on food. Think dried foods like rice, beans, oatmeal, pasta, buckwheat groats, etc. Long shelf life when stored dry and sealed. Easy prep---mostly just soak in water. Dry milk can also be considered, but has a shorter shelf life, so it would need to be rotated.

I think that your neighbors who prep as a matter of faith have access to large cans of a variety of food items, and you may be able to access this supply. I think they also publish a recommended list of items, which you may find on-line. I recall some threads and posts about this from a few years ago, but I can't pull them up, so maybe another member will be able to find them and post links. Bottom line, get to know your neighbors and don't be afraid to discuss this with them.

Finally, and this may seem odd, learn to make bread using just flour, water, yeast (or sourdough) and salt, and bake it in a dutch oven in a charcoal fire (assuming the oven is no longer operational). Tasty fresh bread in a emergency is good for you and makes a good trading item.