We're quarantined, mostly, although there are those individuals who are "essential" and still have to go to work everyday, and so, while, as a prepper, I have spent much of the last decade reading all about things just like this and what to do, the actual "on the ground" experience looks a LOT different than what we imagined back in the day.
First off, there are no zombies. There are no blood or pus spewing contagious folks infecting all of us at the grocery store. In fact, it's a little anti-climatic. I mean that in a positive way. What we preppers imagined was a lot MORE than what we are currently experiencing. People seem to be walking around in a daze. The reality is a lot quieter.
I think that's always the case, though. When we are living it, the *it* always looks different in the moment than it does in hindsight. In a few years, we'll look back on this time and do some great analysis. Books - both fiction and non-fiction - will be written about our individual COVID-19 experiences. There will be dozens of "front-line" first person accounts from doctors and nurses.
I'm looking forward to the grocery store clerk diaries, personally. I've been shopping at the same grocery store for the past two decades, and I know many of the cashiers and stock-people by name, and they know me by sight. In the past few weeks, when I've gone to the store, we've chatted, briefly. When we're on the other side, I want to take a few of them out for coffee or dinner, and talk.
I'm looking forward - to the end. And by "looking forward" I don't mean, "in anticipation", but rather I am imagining what our future might look like based on what I am seeing in the news right now. It's April. It's the beginning of growing season for most of us here in the United States.
I am seeing way too many reports of vegetables left to rot, of milk being dumped, of farms going under, because they don't have the personnel to harvest, process, or transport the food from farm to customer - many of whom are restaurants that are currently doing only an nth of their usual business. The food industry is in trouble.
It's possible that the media is over-blowing things - like they do - but it's also possible that they are under reporting. We won't know until we're in that hind-sight. Next week. Next month. Next year.
The thing is, it doesn't really matter whether the reports are optimistic or pessimistic, because we have plenty of material to show us what we could/should be doing right now. We have plenty of examples of times when things got bad and what people did to make them not quite so bad, or failed to do and ended up suffering.
We don't have to suffer. We can be proactive.
As a prepper, that's what I preached for over a decade. Be prepared.
That doesn't mean a bunker in the back yard. It doesn't mean keeping the bug-out bag in the back of your armored SUV and planning to high-tail it to Mt. Katahdin and live off the land. It doesn't mean buying up 60 acres in the Alaskan wilderness and setting up your off-grid oasis.
What it means is taking Teddy Roosevelt's sage advice: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
And that means, if, like me, you live in the suburbs, you find out what YOU can do, where you are, to make sure that this disaster isn't ... a disaster.
The time to start is NOW.
Like, RIGHT NOW!
Back in the day when I was first starting my prepper journey, I happened upon this list. It was compiled by folks who survived the Siege of Sarajevo in 1993. These people lived in the city. They ended up being surrounded by enemy troops, which limited their movements. Scrounging for food and basic supplies became the norm, and for most of them, the only hope was to get out alive.
Obviously, we aren't at that point of desperation. At least most of us aren't being shot at from snipers in the next house, but we are at a point where some things are starting to get scarce. I mean, toilet paper? Really?
This is the toilet paper aisle at my local grocery store.
It's looked like this for over a month.
It's looked like this for over a month.
In a few months, we may look back and laugh about the run on toilet paper, because it will be funny that we were more worried about wiping our asses than we were about feeding our faces.
Of course, there are also shortages in that area, too. If you've been to the grocery store, you will have noticed that the soup and pasta aisles are particularly bare.
I went to the store two weeks before the lock down truly happened here where I live in southern Maine, kind of in the beginning of the panic. There was no toilet paper. There hadn't been hand sanitizer in a week or more (which was no big deal, for me, because I never used the stuff).
But I was gobsmacked by the barren soup aisle, the empty shelves where the pasta and pasta sauce should have been, and the dearth of flour and yeast. Since when did those items become so popular?
Here we are - a month later, with limits placed on the number of items each person can purchase at a time, and a cap on the number of people who can be in the store at a time, and those aisles are still bare, which actually does surprise me. I wonder. I just wonder. Are people still, really, stockpiling those things?
I mean, it's probably not a bad idea, given that come August, we may be experiencing food shortages, like real food shortages, in that, there is no food, because food wasn't grown and harvested and processed.
What also surprises me, though, is the well-stocked produce section. The other day, when the tomato sauce aisle was empty, a few aisles over in the produce section, the store had tomatoes for 25 cents a pound. I can't even get that price, in season, from my local farmer! I'm not certain I can even grow tomatoes that cheaply. I bought as many as I thought they would allow without looking at me like I was a hoarder.
I guess what I'm saying is that WE should be reaching further up into the trees for that higher up fruit.
We should be buying the fresh produce and preserving it - rather than having stores dump it and farmers compost it.
Canning, dehydrating, freezing, fermenting, cold storing - there are a lot of ways to keep fresh food for later. I mean, what did people do before Campbell's existed to make that Chicken Noodle soup in a can?
I alluded to this list a few paragraphs up, and here it is: 100 Items That Disappear First (in an emergency). I've put an asterisks beside the one's that are already in short supply - in just a month's time.
One more note, before the list: we are a month into this "emergency" here in the US. Some predictions say that we will be open for business by May 1. Most are saying the social distancing measures could last well into the summer. Either way, nothing is going to go "back to normal" - at least not for a while. The impacts on the food industry and supply chains will be felt for some time.
Most of the hand soap and all of the hand sanitizer was sold out. The bar soap was mostly gone, too.
Those who usually purchase the organic and/or specialty soaps were in luck,
as those more expensive products were still available.
Those who usually purchase the organic and/or specialty soaps were in luck,
as those more expensive products were still available.
100
Items to Disappear First
1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets (ALT – 5 gal bucket with some saw dust or cat litter)
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
*7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots. (My note: Gun sales are up here in the US, and some calibers of ammunition are getting harder to find).
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans – Wheat (and grow as much as possible!)
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.)
15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book (this is a link to my book Surviving the Apocalypse in the Suburbs: the Thrivalist's Guide to Life Without Oil).
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
*24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products (my note: there are fewer choices, for sure, and soap is scarce)
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
*30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels (my note: stores are having a hard time keeping this in stock. Ordering online takes a week or more for delivery.)
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months) (my note: I actually stocked up a little on condensed milk, to make sure I had milk for my coffee :))
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
*35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt (my note: We can still find salt, but flour and yeast are hard to find).
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
*49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc. (see #24 above. Soap is definitely harder to find).
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
*59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies (my note: since there are so many people making face masks, 1/4" elastic is really hard to find)
*60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc. (my note: the aisles with these items are mostly empty - even with limiting of store patrons AND number of items)
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
**62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax) (my note: these are seasonal anyway. By the time the "season" is here, my guess is that no one will be able to find them, except those lucky first folks into the store)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
*71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water) (my note: these items have been in short supply for more than a month)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
*100. Goats/chickens (My note: A local farm that sold chicks sold out, interestingly. Seems like a lot of people in my community are suddenly interested in raising chickens. And eggs are on that list of things that the grocery store is occasionally out of, too).
1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets (ALT – 5 gal bucket with some saw dust or cat litter)
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
*7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots. (My note: Gun sales are up here in the US, and some calibers of ammunition are getting harder to find).
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans – Wheat (and grow as much as possible!)
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.)
15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book (this is a link to my book Surviving the Apocalypse in the Suburbs: the Thrivalist's Guide to Life Without Oil).
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
*24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products (my note: there are fewer choices, for sure, and soap is scarce)
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
*30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels (my note: stores are having a hard time keeping this in stock. Ordering online takes a week or more for delivery.)
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months) (my note: I actually stocked up a little on condensed milk, to make sure I had milk for my coffee :))
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
*35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt (my note: We can still find salt, but flour and yeast are hard to find).
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
*49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc. (see #24 above. Soap is definitely harder to find).
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
*59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies (my note: since there are so many people making face masks, 1/4" elastic is really hard to find)
*60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc. (my note: the aisles with these items are mostly empty - even with limiting of store patrons AND number of items)
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
**62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax) (my note: these are seasonal anyway. By the time the "season" is here, my guess is that no one will be able to find them, except those lucky first folks into the store)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
*71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water) (my note: these items have been in short supply for more than a month)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
*100. Goats/chickens (My note: A local farm that sold chicks sold out, interestingly. Seems like a lot of people in my community are suddenly interested in raising chickens. And eggs are on that list of things that the grocery store is occasionally out of, too).
Today, we're having a wind storm here in southern Maine with potential power outages, and it's "spring" weather for the rest of the US, too, which means tornadoes and hurricanes.
Where we are on the availability of the rest of the items on the list in a few weeks will be interesting to see, as folks are hunkering down at home, and realizing that they are poorly equipped to a combat a fully locked and loaded Mother Nature.
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