What I learned during Snowmaggedon

Carry related chit-chat
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Jusme
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I agree making drastic changes to carry method for a potential repeat of this phenomenon would be counterproductive. I already have the shoulder holster for my M&P I just had adjust the straps some for the bulkier clothing. I had already planned on getting a shoulder holster for my CZs but now it has become a bigger priority.
We managed everything else very well, we had filled our propane tank the week before, I have small space heaters to place in front of the sinks to prevent potential freeze ups. I have plenty of firewood. We keep a supply of food and water on hand.

As I said, I was away from home almost as much as I was there. And I never worried about my wife being home while I was gone. I was just glad I was able to drive everywhere I needed, without getting stuck and having to walk.
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Flightmare
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C-dub wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:56 am We may be making the change to a gas stove sooner than later.

Carry method didn't change and I had no issues. When I could carry when out and about I had a long insulated cover shirt and then my long lined drover over that. I typically carry OWB anyway and this didn't hinder that at all.

IMHO, don't go overboard on making changes or additions as a result of this highly irregular blizzard that hit us. How often will something like this happen? Will those changes or additions be worth it if this type of thing never happens again. Oh, the irony of saying that on this forum. Just throwing it out there. For example, I will probably not be doing some kind of generator. The initial cost, installation, and upkeep seems prohibitive to me. Maybe a small gas generator for a few things, but even that is iffy. If the power is out the gas stations cannot function. If I switch to the gas stove, which we've talked about doing anyway, I can still cook and boil water if necessary. We also have a fireplace and may start using it more regularly during the winter to maintain its use, which means having firewood in place each fall before winter. I remember my parents using these same methods during winter blizzards in Kansas over 50 years ago. Sleeping in the front room in front of the fireplace to keep warm during days without electricity.
I agree that making drastic changes for a once in a decade or better winter storm is not wise. That being said, there are potentially some changes that can be made that have benefits for other situations. As you suggested, changing your stove from electric to gas. It's not exclusively to prepare for another winter storm, but it would help out should we have another issue like last week.

I tend to keep a week's supply of snacks in my cupboard. Things that don't require cooking or refrigeration. Helps in case I lose power/gas....or if I just want to toss something in my truck to munch on later when I'm out and about all day.
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03Lightningrocks
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Flightmare wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 1:51 pm
C-dub wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:56 am We may be making the change to a gas stove sooner than later.

Carry method didn't change and I had no issues. When I could carry when out and about I had a long insulated cover shirt and then my long lined drover over that. I typically carry OWB anyway and this didn't hinder that at all.

IMHO, don't go overboard on making changes or additions as a result of this highly irregular blizzard that hit us. How often will something like this happen? Will those changes or additions be worth it if this type of thing never happens again. Oh, the irony of saying that on this forum. Just throwing it out there. For example, I will probably not be doing some kind of generator. The initial cost, installation, and upkeep seems prohibitive to me. Maybe a small gas generator for a few things, but even that is iffy. If the power is out the gas stations cannot function. If I switch to the gas stove, which we've talked about doing anyway, I can still cook and boil water if necessary. We also have a fireplace and may start using it more regularly during the winter to maintain its use, which means having firewood in place each fall before winter. I remember my parents using these same methods during winter blizzards in Kansas over 50 years ago. Sleeping in the front room in front of the fireplace to keep warm during days without electricity.
I agree that making drastic changes for a once in a decade or better winter storm is not wise. That being said, there are potentially some changes that can be made that have benefits for other situations. As you suggested, changing your stove from electric to gas. It's not exclusively to prepare for another winter storm, but it would help out should we have another issue like last week.

I tend to keep a week's supply of snacks in my cupboard. Things that don't require cooking or refrigeration. Helps in case I lose power/gas....or if I just want to toss something in my truck to munch on later when I'm out and about all day.
If you do have a gas stove, be sure and keep some matches or a lighter around to light it. No electricity means no spark to light the burners. My water heater is gas and I was able to drain a five gallon bucket of hot water from the clean out drain on it. Used it to clean up a bit after three days with no shower.
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C-dub
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03Lightningrocks wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 1:54 pm
Flightmare wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 1:51 pm
C-dub wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:56 am We may be making the change to a gas stove sooner than later.

Carry method didn't change and I had no issues. When I could carry when out and about I had a long insulated cover shirt and then my long lined drover over that. I typically carry OWB anyway and this didn't hinder that at all.

IMHO, don't go overboard on making changes or additions as a result of this highly irregular blizzard that hit us. How often will something like this happen? Will those changes or additions be worth it if this type of thing never happens again. Oh, the irony of saying that on this forum. Just throwing it out there. For example, I will probably not be doing some kind of generator. The initial cost, installation, and upkeep seems prohibitive to me. Maybe a small gas generator for a few things, but even that is iffy. If the power is out the gas stations cannot function. If I switch to the gas stove, which we've talked about doing anyway, I can still cook and boil water if necessary. We also have a fireplace and may start using it more regularly during the winter to maintain its use, which means having firewood in place each fall before winter. I remember my parents using these same methods during winter blizzards in Kansas over 50 years ago. Sleeping in the front room in front of the fireplace to keep warm during days without electricity.
I agree that making drastic changes for a once in a decade or better winter storm is not wise. That being said, there are potentially some changes that can be made that have benefits for other situations. As you suggested, changing your stove from electric to gas. It's not exclusively to prepare for another winter storm, but it would help out should we have another issue like last week.

I tend to keep a week's supply of snacks in my cupboard. Things that don't require cooking or refrigeration. Helps in case I lose power/gas....or if I just want to toss something in my truck to munch on later when I'm out and about all day.
If you do have a gas stove, be sure and keep some matches or a lighter around to light it. No electricity means no spark to light the burners. My water heater is gas and I was able to drain a five gallon bucket of hot water from the clean out drain on it. Used it to clean up a bit after three days with no shower.
Always have at least one of those extended lighter things for the grill or candles.
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The Annoyed Man
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Bitter Clinger wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 3:44 pm I learned that I need to know which of my leftist neighbors have any food stores in the event that this had become a months long grid down scenario.
I'm not judging.... to each his own.... but I’m not personally into the food confiscation business. Also, we’ve been storing food ourselves.

That said, my household is very well armed, and when it begins to occur to any lefty neighbors that their food stores are in peril because they can’t protect them, I’m open to the capitalist opportunity of charging them part of their food stores in exchange for protecting the remainder of it for them.

One thing for absolute certain..... I am NOT going to trade guns for food with any lefties. I’m not going to give them that kind of power (Mao reference) ever again, since they have always grossly abused power whenever they’ve had it.

It’s their right to own guns, but they’re going to have to figure that one out on their own, knowing that in a WROL situation, very few people will give up any guns they own, for any reason whatsoever.
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Jusme
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The Annoyed Man wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 7:13 am
Bitter Clinger wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 3:44 pm I learned that I need to know which of my leftist neighbors have any food stores in the event that this had become a months long grid down scenario.
I'm not judging.... to each his own.... but I’m not personally into the food confiscation business. Also, we’ve been storing food ourselves.

That said, my household is very well armed, and when it begins to occur to any lefty neighbors that their food stores are in peril because they can’t protect them, I’m open to the capitalist opportunity of charging them part of their food stores in exchange for protecting the remainder of it for them.

One thing for absolute certain..... I am NOT going to trade guns for food with any lefties. I’m not going to give them that kind of power (Mao reference) ever again, since they have always grossly abused power whenever they’ve had it.

It’s their right to own guns, but they’re going to have to figure that one out on their own, knowing that in a WROL situation, very few people will give up any guns they own, for any reason whatsoever.


Exactly.

I didn't wait until it was too late to prepare myself, and my family before acquiring arms. I also prepared, to have food and water available. My home is shelter enough even without power, so there would be almost no goods or services, that anyone would have that would cause me to even consider parting with my guns. Like you, if they need protection for what they do have, then we can reach an agreement on the barter system, but they probably won't like the price.
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If you want to know how your neighbors contributed to elections...
https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/indiv ... F31%2F2021

Enter your zip code to get your immediate area.
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The Annoyed Man
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bblhd672 wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 11:40 am If you want to know how your neighbors contributed to elections...
https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/indiv ... F31%2F2021

Enter your zip code to get your immediate area.
AntiFa is doing exactly the same thing to target republican donors.
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”

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I learned several things then and since then:

1) Keep more water on-hand.
2) Normal candles suck. I had only one, and scented at that. With only electric for heat and the electric out for days, that was my only source of heat. I truly debated blowing it out because it made the air bad, but he was providing a small amount of heat and some light. Afterwards, I did some research and found there are 3 types of candles: paraffin, soy, and beeswax. Paraffin is cheapest, and also pollutes the worst. If the candle doesn't say what it is, assume paraffin. Soy and beeswax burn much cleaner (still not pure, but better). Beeswax is the most expensive, so I got 2 large unscented soy wax candles in jars for the next time. That a non-matches lighter.
3) I didn't have nearly enough offline content on my tablet.
4) I didn't have enough powerbanks. The two tiny ones my wife had, we drained those quickly.
5) I didn't have enough no-cook. no refrigeration required food on hand. I have more read-to eat canned food now.

For the powerbanks, I found some much larger ones (20000+ mAh) on Amazon that have built-in solar panels. I figured that would save us during the next extended outage. (I live in a condo, so getting a generator is unpractical.) More research (after buying) convinced me I partially wasted my money. Heat kills Li-ion batteries. So leaving the powerbank in the sun to charge via its panels a bad idea. Second problem is the panels are small and the one powerbank, if the solar panel works at the rated capacity for 12 hours a day, I estimate it will take about 20 days to recharge. The other, smaller, one, with 4 built-in panels I estimate 5-7 days. That's neglecting the damage laying it in the sun will have and assuming I get 12 hours of good sun per day. Not betting on that.

I then looked at external solar panels (portable, for camping, I got a 21W one). I may not have a yard, but I have windows. Put the external panel in the window and let it charge my devices and powerbanks while, thanks to a 3 foot cord, the devices stay cooler in the shade. Then I ran into the next issue. The external panels did come with a built-in usb port, but did not come with a charge controller (despite what one claimed about having an "Advanced Smart IC Chip Technology") or blocking diode. Without one of those, the panel, under low light, can actually DRAIN your device's battery. Fortunately, the charge ports (at least the micro usb ports) on the two powerbanks I bought DID have a blocking diode on them, so I can use the external panel on those without worry.

While I was prepping, I also thought back to hurrican Ike, and how, after it hit, the air was warm, humid, and still. Having the windows open didn't help much when trying to sleep. I found a usb fan I can plug into my powerbank that actually impressed me enough, I gave it a 5 star rating. My wife tested it out one night and loved it so much, I had to buy 2 more. Based on a few nights testing, I estimate we can run it, on medium, for about 10 hours a night for about 8 nights before draining the powerbank.

In my testing, I also learned not all charging cables are made equal. Some cheap dollar store ones can actually slow down charging.
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What fans did you end up with? I rarely lose power, but it’s usually warm and humid when I do. Some fans to move the air would be a welcome addition.
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