Prep Items That May Become Scarce Early On

Historical View from Florida

Down here we get hurricanes each year.  Each year the populations goes through a spasm buying things needed prior to a storm.

Gas Station: Run out of products within 18 hours, and close up about 24 hours prior to a storm hitting.

I hear the same thing each year from people who standing in line with 2 shopping carts full of items. "... not next year I'll be ready" But; you see them again each year doing the same thing.

Wally world and food stores:

food, water, propane, batteries, flashlights, camping gear, rain suits, first aid supplies.

DIY stores:

lumber, nails and screws, generators, gas cans, flashlights, tarps, batteries, chain saws, gloves,

The funny thing is that after a storm the generators are taken back to the store for a refund,  The store has no choice if it's less then 30 days.  But then the store cannot sell that generator new since it had fuel put in it.  They sell a lot of generators cheap after a storm!

RICH-FL

  No warning - no way to fight - no way to win!  
We need help in our local communities to survive. Remember that quote:    "...No man is an island..."

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by: RICHARD-FL @ Fri May 30, 2008 at 19:31:29 PM CDT

????--

Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.

How do you safely store this fuel? To me, it's impossible TO stockpile,because it is fuel and I'm in a residential neighborhood!-k

www.EmergencyHomePreparation.org -- A 'card-catalog' style of prepping information.   -

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by: Readymom @ Fri May 30, 2008 at 21:24:45 PM CDT

Coleman fuel is not as volatile

As gasoline or kerosene. It's designed to burn in a pressurized stove at a lower temp. If you have a garage, you can pretty much safely store four or five 1-gallon cans on the opposite side from the water heater without too much concern. That much Coleman fuel should last a family of four for about 3-4 months if used sparingly...

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by: Bronco Bill @ Sat May 31, 2008 at 16:00:06 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

People may not realize how long it will last

I think the same things that run out first in any natural disaster will be the same things that go first in a pandemic:
Milk
bread
gas
cigarettes
batteries, candles,flashlights
eggs
produce
generators
WATER
work gloves

And some others specific to illness:
thermometers
pain relievers
cold and cough meds
stomach meds
masks and gloves

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by: dogsma @ Sat May 31, 2008 at 08:12:33 AM CDT

Anything approaching flu related

will probably fly off the shelves quickly.  WE know a lot of those over the counter remedies are much more than temporary mitigators at best.  But other people will be clutching at straws.

Anything that is for "flu" or "flu-like" symptoms will disappear pretty quickly in my opinion.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

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by: KathyinFL @ Sat May 31, 2008 at 12:47:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Wound Care etc

Wound care items-as soon as people start cleaning up from a disaster using chainsaws, they get hurt, or injured by bees or snakes. (especially after hurricanes). Hospital care will be tight-get butterfly bandages which can suffice for stitches in all but the most severe cases. ACE bandages for potential fracture/sprain care at home.

Goats/chickens? LOL. Interesting for a urban condo.......

Whiskey-good for bad nerves at times, can be made into  herbal cough syrup-recipe can be found at:

http://www.thefamilyhomestead....

Sterile saline-good for irrigating dirty wounds/clean wounds (irrigation-just use a turkey baster washed out with soap and water and stored in a clean container between uses:

1. wash teaspoon, measuring cup, quart glass jar and lid in hot soapy water and rinse in hot water.

2. boil 6 cups of tap water in a pan for 20 minutes and let cool.

3. pour 4 cups of the boiled water into the clean jar,add  two (2) teasoons of salt and mix well with the water.

4. put the lid on the jar (don't touch the inside with your fingers), label the jar with date, and refrigerate. keeps for 1 week in fridge if used for wound care, for bladder irrigation make fresh daily.

Source:Home Care Nursing Handbook by Carolyn J. Humphrey copyright 1986

There was a home made cough medication recipe in an excellent book I bought that is in the autobiography of  Dr. James Still, the "Black Doctor of the [Jersey] Pines"

I wanted to try it, but it called for two pounds of opium!!!

It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.

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by: Grace RN @ Sat May 31, 2008 at 20:47:21 PM CDT

Question

What about contact lens saline solution? It is supposed to be sterile, comes in a convenient squeeze bottle, etc. Would that substitute for use in wound care or is it something completely different?

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by: dogsma @ Sun Jun 01, 2008 at 00:39:21 AM CDT

contact lens saline

As long as it's just saline, contact lens solution would be fine.  Some contact lens disinfectants have hydrogen peroxide in them, which should not be used in wounds.  Check the bottle; the ingredients will be listed.

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by: big critter @ Sun Jun 01, 2008 at 22:50:18 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

categories of stuff that will vanish-

first on my list will be the basic 4-
Water;
Shelter;
Food;
Defence.

At the same time, there will be a huge demand for the basic flu treatments, both OTC and prescription.  

I will not be shopping for any of the above, come the day.
I will be looking for other bargains and trading some of my stockpiled goods for other things.

KEEP THE GRID UP!
Prudent People Prepare Properly

"better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!"

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by: LMWatBullRun @ Sun Jun 01, 2008 at 22:52:39 PM CDT

One of the first things to run out in Spain

where the truck drivers are on strike was gas.  Now stores are running out of basics and restaraunts can't serve their full menus.  Clearly there is some panic buying going on, but if the people of Barcelona are panicked because of a trucking strike, imagine what will happen if TSHTF.  It will all run out - the most important things first (gas, cash, food basics, batteries, energy, medicines).  After a while people will switch from eating what tastes good to eating whatever they can find.  And if the grid goes, add grills and propane to that list of first-to-disappear.  

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by: LauraB @ Wed Jun 11, 2008 at 18:27:12 PM CDT

Barcelona is where they've run out of water and have to bring it in by tanker.

What will they do to get it to the people after the tanker has docked?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl...

http://www.independent.co.uk/n...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

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by: Jane @ Wed Jun 11, 2008 at 21:28:16 PM CDT

[ Parent ]