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You have a single 5 gallon bucket, what do you put in it?
4/17/2012 10:17:44 AM
I am looking to make a small cache of supplies/stuff to help better prepare my family in the event of a tornado bearing down on our home and wiping out our home/most if not all our preps.
We have preps stashed in different locations in the house and outbuildings, but if an EF4 or 5 comes through, anything not buried in the ground is most likely gonna be destroyed.
Assuming you live through the event, (maybe we weren't at home or made it in our basement), what are the most critical things you would recommend we have when everything else is literally cast into the wind and gone forever?
Cash, copies of ID, small gun, etc?
The recent rash of tornado's around our area has had my wife and I thinking about how to best start planning on prepping for the unlikely event that everything is blown to hell.
Sorry if this is similar to other topics, but this is specific to a 5 gallon bucket, mylar bag sealed, in a relatively shallow hole well above the water table not around any large obstructions (trees/building/power lines) that could fall on top of the buried cache and prevent our accessing it).
Thanks for any input.
-Matt
ETA: wife +me + 2 kids (4 and 6 years old) no pets.
We have preps stashed in different locations in the house and outbuildings, but if an EF4 or 5 comes through, anything not buried in the ground is most likely gonna be destroyed.
Assuming you live through the event, (maybe we weren't at home or made it in our basement), what are the most critical things you would recommend we have when everything else is literally cast into the wind and gone forever?
Cash, copies of ID, small gun, etc?
The recent rash of tornado's around our area has had my wife and I thinking about how to best start planning on prepping for the unlikely event that everything is blown to hell.
Sorry if this is similar to other topics, but this is specific to a 5 gallon bucket, mylar bag sealed, in a relatively shallow hole well above the water table not around any large obstructions (trees/building/power lines) that could fall on top of the buried cache and prevent our accessing it).
Thanks for any input.
-Matt
ETA: wife +me + 2 kids (4 and 6 years old) no pets.
4/17/2012 10:21:08 AM
Cheap revolver. ammo. survival food bars. liquid container (nalgene/ whatever) and purification capability (pills/ filter/ straw). thumb drive with pertinent info.
4/17/2012 11:23:53 AM
I haven't given this a ton of thought (at work, only so much online fuckery time available) but I would hesitate to put anything outside - even shallowly buried - that I wouldn't want falling into the wrong hands. Perhaps a better idea is a thumb drive with copies of your critical information/IDs in a relatively cheap safe deposit box a town or two over, then keep the key to said box in the bucket. Even if it was found, no one would need to know which institution is was from.
As for other items, perhaps some Datrex bars, a small water filter, hydration bladder (takes up not much space when empty, can be filled after the fact), multitool, plastic tarp/construction sheeting (keeps in heat as an improv poncho, compresses well, could be used to shed rain inside improv shelter), headlamp, small weather radio (in case of additional storms en route), batteries (separate from devices) and shoes. Find a way to make shoes fit. If it hits in the middle of the night and your family is ripped from their beds, they'll be walking around a field of rubble, glass, potential household hazmat stuff, et cetera barefoot. Get something between feet - especially the kids - and the ground.
This is not an ideal kit for a family (I've got wife, two dogs, 3-y-o son and 7-y-o daughter so I get it) but I'm trying to stay within your requirements.
As for other items, perhaps some Datrex bars, a small water filter, hydration bladder (takes up not much space when empty, can be filled after the fact), multitool, plastic tarp/construction sheeting (keeps in heat as an improv poncho, compresses well, could be used to shed rain inside improv shelter), headlamp, small weather radio (in case of additional storms en route), batteries (separate from devices) and shoes. Find a way to make shoes fit. If it hits in the middle of the night and your family is ripped from their beds, they'll be walking around a field of rubble, glass, potential household hazmat stuff, et cetera barefoot. Get something between feet - especially the kids - and the ground.
This is not an ideal kit for a family (I've got wife, two dogs, 3-y-o son and 7-y-o daughter so I get it) but I'm trying to stay within your requirements.
4/17/2012 1:00:56 PM
KeithC has some very good ideas so in addition to his... if you can add an additional bucket, I'd include something like a Sawyer .1micron bucket water filter kit as water may be a problem, a real tent for some privacy and mosquito protection, a rocket stove, a little larger cooking container like an aluminum "billie" pot, couple ofdays of freeze dried meals, and hard candy and cocoa for the kids...AA battery cell phone charger....in addition to the headlight, good hand held task lights for the adults... whistles and small lights for the kids...first aid...a method to irrigate wounds...syringe or small hole in cap of water bottles....Kerlix for the bad stuff, and non adherent pads and self adhering cling tape like Coban, betadine...OTC meds, immodium, benedryl, ibuprofen...handy wipes or bar of soap...3mil contractor trash bag to solar heat water for cleanup
4/17/2012 2:02:51 PM
Originally Posted By KeithC:
I haven't given this a ton of thought (at work, only so much online fuckery time available) but I would hesitate to put anything outside - even shallowly buried - that I wouldn't want falling into the wrong hands. Perhaps a better idea is a thumb drive with copies of your critical information/IDs in a relatively cheap safe deposit box a town or two over, then keep the key to said box in the bucket. Even if it was found, no one would need to know which institution is was from.
As for other items, perhaps some Datrex bars, a small water filter, hydration bladder (takes up not much space when empty, can be filled after the fact), multitool, plastic tarp/construction sheeting (keeps in heat as an improv poncho, compresses well, could be used to shed rain inside improv shelter), headlamp, small weather radio (in case of additional storms en route), batteries (separate from devices) and shoes. Find a way to make shoes fit. If it hits in the middle of the night and your family is ripped from their beds, they'll be walking around a field of rubble, glass, potential household hazmat stuff, et cetera barefoot. Get something between feet - especially the kids - and the ground.
This is not an ideal kit for a family (I've got wife, two dogs, 3-y-o son and 7-y-o daughter so I get it) but I'm trying to stay within your requirements.
I haven't given this a ton of thought (at work, only so much online fuckery time available) but I would hesitate to put anything outside - even shallowly buried - that I wouldn't want falling into the wrong hands. Perhaps a better idea is a thumb drive with copies of your critical information/IDs in a relatively cheap safe deposit box a town or two over, then keep the key to said box in the bucket. Even if it was found, no one would need to know which institution is was from.
As for other items, perhaps some Datrex bars, a small water filter, hydration bladder (takes up not much space when empty, can be filled after the fact), multitool, plastic tarp/construction sheeting (keeps in heat as an improv poncho, compresses well, could be used to shed rain inside improv shelter), headlamp, small weather radio (in case of additional storms en route), batteries (separate from devices) and shoes. Find a way to make shoes fit. If it hits in the middle of the night and your family is ripped from their beds, they'll be walking around a field of rubble, glass, potential household hazmat stuff, et cetera barefoot. Get something between feet - especially the kids - and the ground.
This is not an ideal kit for a family (I've got wife, two dogs, 3-y-o son and 7-y-o daughter so I get it) but I'm trying to stay within your requirements.
That is some good stuff to consider.
I'm not really concerned with someone digging it up. Mostly its because I live in a nice neighborhood, also because it will be buried and mostly unmarked save for my wife and I knowing where its at, and because we live in a private area where we have our own little police force that patrols around and I've never heard of criminals randomly digging in the ground in backyards hoping to find treasure. I'm thinking about a few hundred dollars cash. Enough for a hotel room and a car rental or just for gas or other needs. Power lines are all above ground around here and when the wind gets blowing we get brown outs, so in the event of a twister, power is gonna be down for a good long time so no CC or debit card transactions until out of the immediate area.
Good stuff, keep ideas coming please.
4/17/2012 2:05:01 PM
I may get flamed for this but what is the point of a cache for tornado?
I can see copies of important documents and the like but as far as survival goes it's not like SHTF.
Your not going to be setting up a poncho tent in the woods and living off the land with your wife and kids, your going to go to the
nearest town and rent a hotel room or stay with family until you can plan more permanent living arrangements.
Your not going to be funnelling rain water from a deer hide, you're going to go to the C-store and buy some bottled water.
Perhaps you're planning for a Super Tornado that will wipe a 100 mile radius around you, I don't know.
Flame on!
I can see copies of important documents and the like but as far as survival goes it's not like SHTF.
Your not going to be setting up a poncho tent in the woods and living off the land with your wife and kids, your going to go to the
nearest town and rent a hotel room or stay with family until you can plan more permanent living arrangements.
Your not going to be funnelling rain water from a deer hide, you're going to go to the C-store and buy some bottled water.
Perhaps you're planning for a Super Tornado that will wipe a 100 mile radius around you, I don't know.
Flame on!
4/17/2012 2:54:59 PM
Originally Posted By EvilBlackDog:
I may get flamed for this but what is the point of a cache for tornado?
I can see copies of important documents and the like but as far as survival goes it's not like SHTF.
Your not going to be setting up a poncho tent in the woods and living off the land with your wife and kids, your going to go to the
nearest town and rent a hotel room or stay with family until you can plan more permanent living arrangements.
Your not going to be funnelling rain water from a deer hide, you're going to go to the C-store and buy some bottled water.
Perhaps you're planning for a Super Tornado that will wipe a 100 mile radius around you, I don't know.
Flame on!
I may get flamed for this but what is the point of a cache for tornado?
I can see copies of important documents and the like but as far as survival goes it's not like SHTF.
Your not going to be setting up a poncho tent in the woods and living off the land with your wife and kids, your going to go to the
nearest town and rent a hotel room or stay with family until you can plan more permanent living arrangements.
Your not going to be funnelling rain water from a deer hide, you're going to go to the C-store and buy some bottled water.
Perhaps you're planning for a Super Tornado that will wipe a 100 mile radius around you, I don't know.
Flame on!
Agree, maybe store copies of documents and some cash, no gun/no food/no water. Just what you need to contact the insurance, family, and friends and make sure you can provide cash for a hotel till you get insurance involved. Cash is better because power may be out, but have credit card numbers written down. There will be support groups to help but you will probably be more comfortable if you can provide for yourself some. If you are really worried about the whole house being gone, offsite above ground storage may be better, as in storage unit, PO box, safe deposit box.
After all, if the house is gone to the point of only having an underground bucket left, where is your shovel?
4/17/2012 2:56:19 PM
I wouldn't put a copy of your Id in anything that could fly away. Maybe a better thought would be to get a plastic 55 gal drum and bury it in the back yard level with the lid then stick a few patio block or Somthing over it so you don't forget where it is.
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4/17/2012 3:18:48 PM
Originally Posted By EvilBlackDog:
I may get flamed for this but what is the point of a cache for tornado?
I can see copies of important documents and the like but as far as survival goes it's not like SHTF.
Your not going to be setting up a poncho tent in the woods and living off the land with your wife and kids, your going to go to the
nearest town and rent a hotel room or stay with family until you can plan more permanent living arrangements.
Your not going to be funnelling rain water from a deer hide, you're going to go to the C-store and buy some bottled water.
Perhaps you're planning for a Super Tornado that will wipe a 100 mile radius around you, I don't know.
Flame on!
I may get flamed for this but what is the point of a cache for tornado?
I can see copies of important documents and the like but as far as survival goes it's not like SHTF.
Your not going to be setting up a poncho tent in the woods and living off the land with your wife and kids, your going to go to the
nearest town and rent a hotel room or stay with family until you can plan more permanent living arrangements.
Your not going to be funnelling rain water from a deer hide, you're going to go to the C-store and buy some bottled water.
Perhaps you're planning for a Super Tornado that will wipe a 100 mile radius around you, I don't know.
Flame on!
No flame at all but I'd suggest you don't underestimate the potential for destruction. You might not be *able* to get to the next non-hit town for a day or two - debris, lack of vehicles, official road closures - or you might choose to stick around the homefront to help neighbors and find you're also confronting looters (believe it or not, that shit even happened in little Windsor after the '08 twister). The stores might be hit as well, power might be down, credit cards might not be accepted, you might be short on cash, et cetera, et cetera. Having a pocket pistol might be handy, having snacks to keep the kids from getting whiny/bitchy/sluggish from low blood sugar would be useful and staying safely hydrated would be an absolute necessity especially given you might be a lot more active getting through the destruction field than usual.
So add "$40-50 in mixed bills" and "good work gloves" to my earlier list.
4/17/2012 3:59:08 PM
Originally Posted By MechanicalDog:
Agree, maybe store copies of documents and some cash, no gun/no food/no water. Just what you need to contact the insurance, family, and friends and make sure you can provide cash for a hotel till you get insurance involved. Cash is better because power may be out, but have credit card numbers written down. There will be support groups to help but you will probably be more comfortable if you can provide for yourself some. If you are really worried about the whole house being gone, offsite above ground storage may be better, as in storage unit, PO box, safe deposit box.
After all, if the house is gone to the point of only having an underground bucket left, where is your shovel?
Originally Posted By EvilBlackDog:
I may get flamed for this but what is the point of a cache for tornado?
I can see copies of important documents and the like but as far as survival goes it's not like SHTF.
Your not going to be setting up a poncho tent in the woods and living off the land with your wife and kids, your going to go to the
nearest town and rent a hotel room or stay with family until you can plan more permanent living arrangements.
Your not going to be funnelling rain water from a deer hide, you're going to go to the C-store and buy some bottled water.
Perhaps you're planning for a Super Tornado that will wipe a 100 mile radius around you, I don't know.
Flame on!
I may get flamed for this but what is the point of a cache for tornado?
I can see copies of important documents and the like but as far as survival goes it's not like SHTF.
Your not going to be setting up a poncho tent in the woods and living off the land with your wife and kids, your going to go to the
nearest town and rent a hotel room or stay with family until you can plan more permanent living arrangements.
Your not going to be funnelling rain water from a deer hide, you're going to go to the C-store and buy some bottled water.
Perhaps you're planning for a Super Tornado that will wipe a 100 mile radius around you, I don't know.
Flame on!
Agree, maybe store copies of documents and some cash, no gun/no food/no water. Just what you need to contact the insurance, family, and friends and make sure you can provide cash for a hotel till you get insurance involved. Cash is better because power may be out, but have credit card numbers written down. There will be support groups to help but you will probably be more comfortable if you can provide for yourself some. If you are really worried about the whole house being gone, offsite above ground storage may be better, as in storage unit, PO box, safe deposit box.
After all, if the house is gone to the point of only having an underground bucket left, where is your shovel?
Its not going to be that deep, and their will be plenty of debris that can be used to pry at and tear the ground up.
Its only gonna be about 2 feet or so deep. I only have to get to the handle/rope that is attached to the bucket.
Underground is about the only place that survives F4 or F5 twisters; they can remove concrete/asphalt from the ground.
4/17/2012 4:01:21 PM
Originally Posted By EvilBlackDog:
I may get flamed for this but what is the point of a cache for tornado?
I can see copies of important documents and the like but as far as survival goes it's not like SHTF.
Your not going to be setting up a poncho tent in the woods and living off the land with your wife and kids, your going to go to the
nearest town and rent a hotel room or stay with family until you can plan more permanent living arrangements.
Your not going to be funnelling rain water from a deer hide, you're going to go to the C-store and buy some bottled water.
Perhaps you're planning for a Super Tornado that will wipe a 100 mile radius around you, I don't know.
Flame on!
I may get flamed for this but what is the point of a cache for tornado?
I can see copies of important documents and the like but as far as survival goes it's not like SHTF.
Your not going to be setting up a poncho tent in the woods and living off the land with your wife and kids, your going to go to the
nearest town and rent a hotel room or stay with family until you can plan more permanent living arrangements.
Your not going to be funnelling rain water from a deer hide, you're going to go to the C-store and buy some bottled water.
Perhaps you're planning for a Super Tornado that will wipe a 100 mile radius around you, I don't know.
Flame on!
So having your house and almost all your worldly belongings cast away into the wind doesn't all under the definition of the SHIT HITTING THE FAN?!
