I have lived most of my life...64 years without electricity. I will make this short. If you have a spring life is easy, in three weeks you wont miss electricity. Your daily habits will change. That is the most difficult thing for humans ...a change in their daily routine. Even if you have water below your house you can place a ram pump to drive the eater uphill without electricity. Also you can install an old fashioned hand pump inyour kitchen. Both of these cost around 300.00 to install. You need a w wood stove in your home to heat the water and a 30 gallon galvinized bucket to bathe in... Water is the first priority. I have a landline phone, my computer is a luxury I watch movies I have bought over the last 20 years about a thousand. Or you can go to your public library and rent one for a dollar on any topic you can imagine. I go to town once a month because I have a 10 bt 10 pantry. I have a compost bucket(no smell) filled with saw dust from the local mill, I just back up my truck and they load. But youcan use earth and leaves as well.I clean the bucket each day. I cook on my wood stove, using cast iron frying pan and pot. No frig. I use zeer pots near the fire and place crocks in the spring. You eill get into the new habit of this way of life in 30 days and begin to see how frenetic your other life was...then you Relearn how to relax. I wish you a long and happy life.
@@ishabellanamthrak1015 that sounds like you have it planned out. Good for you. I have daughter, son-in-law, and grandson with me. They wouldn’t use compost toilet. When power and water were out, we had a taste of how it could be. At least it opened their eyes a little.
A while back, I saw on a neighborhood app that a tree had fallen across one of the roads. Hopped in the jeep with a chainsaw, and found it. 4 cars came up, did a u-turn, and drove away. Finally a guy in a truck stopped and just started moving cut limbs off to the side and then another (Propane delivery truck) showed up and he did the same and we got it cleared. So, yeah, it makes you wonder why people don't step up and at least try to help.
I think some( many?) folks are not critical thinkers, meaning they cannot look at the tree across the road, see the folks chopping it up. AND envision helping as a team to clear it up and how much quicker it would be with as gramma always said, “ many hands make lighter work”. They see the situation and think of an alternative route. Being self sufficient and being prepared for alternate scenarios seems to be a gift in this age of never- ending conveniences. 👍🏻
our local / state government said .. dont cut, down trees, they have power and data lines and you citizens are too stupid to help ... cooper ... dummycrat
When I lived alone on a mountain off grid, my radio kept me Sane. Literally. You can go to dark mental places Very quickly without another human voice. Save a life. Promote Radio in our modern society. No joke.
@heatherconrad5308, You,are 100% correct! We,listened to 99.9 radio Asheville, because we were without electricity for 14 days. Plus our roads are literally gone, because Helene wiped them out. We had no way out. We are now driving through a cow pasture to go over town. Still yet, many people can't get out. We are blessed. GOD created us to be social. We need one another. Or at least we need to know that we are not alone. 🙏Peace to you.
I do fine by myself, if needed. We get use to the noise from TV/internet/radio. You can live without noise, but it does take some getting use tp. Nooks are a constant sound in your head, have books. Printed and on your pads and phones.
I play the radio all the time. A Cold War carry over where my dad played his all the time. He listened to sports games a little music but just to keep an ear open for the National Emergency signal.
I’ve taught disaster preparedness for 25 years, and this is one of the best and most practical videos I’ve ever seen. Thank you for posting, and God bless!
Me too retired military and cbrn specialists and was a PA and got degree in DHS emergency management. I have been preparing for decades and have farm in rural area here in the south. My husband was also military and has havac and mechanical business and does restaurant equipment and refrigeration. 3 of my 5 sons serving overseas and homeschool youngest son who is 17 and learned all kinds of useful skills. I this is was one of best videos and explains the basics. I have farm here in GA but have home in Boone area in NC where my family is across state but many there so been going thru this and mom is in FL and doing same. Most videos are redundant info and not useful .
I've see a lot of post-hurricane videos with "tips" which were pretty useless, like putting a cinnamon oil cotton ball in the fridge so it won't smell bad. Your video actually had useful information. Thanx! The idea of using a crock pot for hot water is genius. I will remember that. I do have a comment regarding washing clothes: I built a solar generator with a 300 Ah battery and 1000 w inverter, and ran 2 loads of laundry. It only used 5% of the battery capacity. If you have a solar charger or power station, you can do laundry in a machine, assuming you have water. Most washers also have an override where you can do a load on SPIN ONLY mode and force the excess water out to reduce drying time. 2nd tip: you can get an adapter to connect between a 20lb propane bottle and your propane stove directly, eliminate the small propane bottle which run out at the worst times. I got a "tree" which connects to the 20 lb bottle and has 3 taps, one being on top for a propane lantern. Makes a great setup for cooking in the dark. At 70, I've been thru multiple week-long power outages. After each one, you get a little smarter. I'm not a full blown prepper, but a Boy Scout on steroids. Motto: "Be Prepared".
I'm so pleased to find someone who talks calmly and rationally about common sense preparedness and reasonable responses without all the ideological baggage from either the far Left or far Right. Thank you for being a good person.
Exactly, JDS. Unfortunately, most times I have to take what I can use and leave the rest in the gutter where it belongs. I just need the data and proactive logic. I've never prioritized or considered the details of massive historical flooding despite living in a lake/water abundant county (midwest), for one. After the Milton/Helene scenes, that was a wakeup call.
I’ve watched a lot of those BBC shows as well and they really do give you an idea that modern people don’t have about how things can get done efficiently.
We got flooded and found ourselves wading out of a swollen New River in the dark at 4:30 am. Our truck was our bug out plan. Food and basic fire/water/shelter were all there. Lost the truck. Had time to slide feet into sandals, grab sweater , phone, purse. So our new preparedness plan is really pared down. Have a backup bugout bag somewhere else that you can get to fairly easily. We caught a ride to a nearby town where our family lives.
My folks were stuck on a mountain for 8-9 days after Helene outside of Boone. They did great as they were super ready. I live in Kenya and funny how many of these things we deal with all the time. We have an inverter hooked to the grid that can run our fridge and freezer and lights for 3 days and a back up solar battery for even longer. We have solar lights around the house. We have food in bins. We have a 2- 1000 gallon water tanks. We know how to do laundry by hand (but I will be buying a wringer!) We lost power for 5 days last year and it was a good practice run. I don't have a chain saw so maybe will look into that and I dont have a good man to help out so looking for one of those too if you can include in the links.... Great idea to download homeschooling info and boxes of lighters for neighbors. Also that back up battery to run neighbor' s freezers. Brilliant. Glad you guys are ok. What a beautiful wife and kids!
7 years ago in Puerto Rico hurricane Maria hit. I was lucky only 4 months of no light, internet, banks, postoffice. Some parts of the island waited for a year. My prepping is a gas stove, and canned food. Trust me lesson learned. Hope you all are faring well. Good luck to you, my prayers are with you all.
I remember that. A year is so hard to fathom. I live in a cold place. We would have such trouble in some seasons if that happened. We have lost power for 8 days but it is so hard to imagine how to survive longer than a few weeks.
@@bipbip6626 After 2 divorces from 'college boys' I want to meet a real partner that is intelligent, rugged and determined like my father and grandfather.
You get an A+ for offering the most down to earth, panic free version of how to be prepared for whatever interrupts normal life. I appreciate your common sense approach, with a touch of humor included. Thank you!
I am a senior female living alone and I have been through several hurricanes in my life. So far this is the best recommendations I have seen in YT. I loved your practicality, your humane approach, your serenity, and your recognition of your wife and your children. I wish you were my neighbor 😊! Congratulations to your wife for a well run machine, to your children for their cooperation, and to you for your diligence and advice and hard work. Kudos 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
I’m Montagnards Vietnam now leave in North Carolina . In Vietnam my people live to use without gas, electricity, phone , toilet paper, but we Did survive The main thing I need is lighter . Food , clothes. Blanket, or rain coats , pot to cook , some knife Love what you just sharing
There is an unbelievable abundance of supplies kind people have sent in up here to us… If you can get to a distribution center near where you’re living, they have everything and everything is free! Good luck!
*This WAS helpful. I've been prepared my whole life. My father was an officer in the National Guard, so I grew up under his guidance. I expanded on it as I established my own home. I homeschooled my family and had everything needed to survive 12 days in an ice storm in New England in 2008. Growing up with and knowing how to use/care for wood stoves was essential. Solar has been my newest learning project (I'm in my 50's and still learning!) Your suggestion to have smaller generators to fully use/not waste energy was an "aha" moment for me. I can go days without electricity because we installed a hand pump for our well in our cellar that pumps and primes the pressure tank. But, it is still nice to use a generator to pump the water and run the on demand propane for hot showers. (We DO have solar shower bags that work nice for showers and dish washing IF we can't run the generator). The crock-pot water was an excellent idea I hadn't considered. I'll be watching the shows you linked. See, you are never too old to learn something new! Thank you!!!*
the best tip i got from this is to try to be the kind of prepper that has more for your neighbors and people in need than 5.56 and 12 gauge shared out with precision at high velocities. he actually buys things TO GIVE AWAY. on second thought, perhaps the best message from this video is to move to areas with good people like this and become one of them.
To be sure, my kids and I could dispense a fair amount of lead with precision. But if preppers don’t have a community of people around them who want them ALIVE then I don’t think they’re going to last long. 😂
I did hear that a lot in this video and you are very kind to have so many things to give away. I think where I am at is that we are trying to share with others things to slowly stockpile, but a lot of times it falls on deaf ears. Many friends and family spend quite a bit on travel, spend on going out regularly etc, but it’s hard for them to hear “buy just in case” suggestions. Thank you for sharing your family’s experience with us. God bless you.
No power 14 days, no internet 21 days, water intermittent because of a break in the line. Did have a generator but gas became a problem. Gas stations closed due to outage or no power. Good idea about cycling gas through cars. Did have plenty of oil. Luckily did have stored water. God is good. We were lucky. Ooh, the wringer is a great idea!
@@chanchan5349 in a pinch you can find a post or tree sapling and for example take a pair of pants and place the crotch around the tree tie the legs loosely at the end and insert a 2 ft hard stick in the knot and start twisting the stick..works great for jeans and sheets ect.
Things I do not miss: cable, streaming and internet. I have an iphone that I use but all other is not needed for me. I could do off grid living and be ok. A tornado came thru in 2011 and since I was on the out skirts of town I was one of the last to have power restored. I was grateful it was restored but it showed me what I was capable of living without.
It’s very cool you know we are just people and we have our different experiences and levels of need and want. I’m very fortunate to have had my own experiences living here in Florida and losing power but being 100% in every aspect back in hurricane Michael. I think in the time between that event and today the one thing that I need to add would be one of those star links from Elon Musk to communicate through the web. I’ll tell you that I had satellite TV back when hurricane Michael came through and to be able to turn on The television and receive the satellite made me feel like everything was fine. I no longer have any type of Internet or satellite TV at my house. And I have done a few things to be able to connect my house and my gas generator since hurricane Michael. One word of advice is to prepare. When I ran my generator I ran it continuously for like the first couple days or so and for me to run it overnight was the comfort because I had power to the house lights and refrigerator. And then I started to notice the consumption of gasoline which I had plenty of but I recognize that if I turned off the generator after breakfast had been made and didn’t turn it back on until the evening it increase the amount of time that I could be OK at the house without putting myself at risk leaving the property . Today we have the election and if something bad happens I just need one trip to the grocery store and I’ll be good for about two months by myself. A star link would be nice.
Had never heard that one, but a great idea. My great grandparents kept a cauldron on the wood stove constantly according to the stories my mother has told.
I have buckets, I also have a couple of small washboards, and a conical washer thing on a sick handle, looks like his, but I want to get an updated T-handle. If you have to, you can just use a stick and poke your clothes vigorously, the dasher from a "decorative" old butter churn, or even just a clean, new plunger.
Thanks for providing a first hand view of what preps we need to make life easier during a power outage. Beautiful family. You're a very blessed man who obviously appreciates the blessings God has bestowed and who also cares for the needs of others. A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband.
Using the crock pot to have hot water available through the day is pure genius for our modern "have a home generator" age - I am older and simply would not have thought of that, but sure have it filed away now and will share it with my family. Had one of those wives, lost her last year but she was with me for 59 wonderful years. Good on ya for recognizing yours! -=dave=-
I use a combo of crockpots and thermal cookers (take the hot water and put it in the thermal cooker and it will cook without power for the next 8 hours)
Thank you. This was the most insightful, realistic, heartwarming video around preparedness. Watched many...your heart is in the right place with a beautiful family!
My goodness.....all this great advice; thank you. I had been waiting for people to get past their harder weeks to then be able to tell us what works best in the situations that come our way.
I’ve been through storms that knocked out the power for 3 weeks. It went from -10 to -50. I used an 1800 Coleman generator to run our furnace. Strung white Christmas LED light through the house and ran a cord to the refrigerator and the TV. In less than 3 hours without power at -50 houses start having expensive issues with frozen pipes. I learned many years ago to be prepared.
I grew up off-grid in Brazil without electricity or running water, and now we’re going back to that lifestyle. The first thing we got was an atmospheric water generator, so no matter what happens, our water is secure!
I’m in Texas and in our last round of storms and 1 hurricane my ex apologized to me. When we were together, she thought I was wasting money on prepping items. I have solar generators and other items that she borrowed when my power came back on. She jumped on the train afterwards 😅
This is a scary thought, because a number of them could have started a fire for coffee. Were they just helpless without electricity? It scares me that they couldn't heat water. That is one of the bare neccessities
I just did that last weekend while my son was here in case I needed help. He spotted me, but I was able to do it all. Glad I did. I feel better about being alone and handling it.
This is a wonderful story to keep in mind, just left out using fire wood to cook with a dutch oven was great to have hot water to baked bread. And the flex solar panels are wonderful, we only needed 200 watts per hour for a frig 1200 watts solars kept battery charge for the frig was great. Before this storm I promised my family 7 days on battery power we were at 15 when the power came back and since we have wood heat as a backup we could lived better than our grand parents did in the mountains.
Very thought provoking, sensible, caring preps. Loved the one about your wife❤ It all speaks to the type of person you are. I would add prayer. 🙏❤️ God sees and knows all. ☺️
Morale is what makes the difference. Something to help you perserve through the bad times! Having all the kit and skills is useless - if you give up! All the skills will help you maintain your will. All the kit will make it less arduous. But your mental attitude is what you have to maintain. Someway of getting a good nights sleep, keep warm and dry and have something to look forward to - little treats etc. SO good to hear you mention helping the neighbours - humans are communal animals! God bless you and your family!
Jeff, I have one of those wives! She's my best buddy. We've been married 51 years and I can tell you it's the best having a wife like yours who actually enjoyed this time of an apocalypse situation. I just can't imagine not having that person in your life. We also had so many moments of times of prayer and reading the scriptures that the time actually went by pretty quickly. And no they don't have those wives on Amazon. Maybe up in Alaska they might, because I remember reading about the old mail order brides. LOL You have a beautiful family. You have a beautiful story to share. If I saw you and your family cutting those trees you could have counted on me even though I'm an old man I would have stopped and helped you and your family without any question. I cannot believe the guys and pick up trucks took photos stopped and turned around and went back home that is unbelievable to me.
Thanks for your video - never thought about the crock pot thing!!! SE Louisiana guy here. Several years after hurricane Katrina I bought a small, 1800 watt, inverter generator, with the intention of running low power with minimal load (2 fridges, small box fans, LED lights, etc.). Hurricanes Ida and Francine tested this prep with success. I managed enough safely stored stabilized gasoline to perhaps keep me in minimal power for at least a month, maybe more if we tap vehicles! Many neighbors have whole house generators, but I wonder if their natural gas supplies could be affected by the right kind of SHTF. I would love to have a huge propane tank, but so far only have some 20 gallon tanks. I need to spend the bucks for a so-called solar generator, might even get a few solar panels. Your tip about bonding with and helping neighbors is golden! In a more suburban environment it is just as important in order to bond together with neighbors, potentially against those with nefarious intentions!
Thank you for reminding us of very simple wisdom. This is what family looks like! God bless you all and continue to make His face shine upon you. Thank you for focusing on the solutions not the problem. ❗️
Laundry is brutal. I live in Louisiana and we were out of lights for over a week due to a hurricane. The ringer is a must. Your hands are gonna cramp without it.
So grateful yall are okay and was able to be a blessing to others. You have a new follower you just gave me some great ideals sent the video to my husband. Please thank you wife for the crock pot idea!
Your calm demeanor, the knowledge you share,and your compassion speak to those who may never have considered preparing or being able to actually be a help in a dire situation. Many thanks. God bless you and your family.
Wonderful advice from someone whose gone thru it. One suggestion is headlamps. It frees up your hands to carry things or done things. Do you need to have lots of extension chords to run from your generator to your appliance? So thankful you weren't severely affected by the hurricane.
Thanks for reminding people to be a blessing to others. In addition to explaining numerous ways they can do so. I pray you continue to be blessed in all things
I would suggest headlamps as well as flashlights so you can use your hands and still see. I have painted luminous paint on our flashlights and headlamps so we can see where they are in the dark.
That woman is worth everything else, and hopefully she appreciates how valuable you are to her as well. Don't let her get bored. I live in the same town as the Niagara Power project is making lots of power, so hopefully we won't be out of juice too long.
This is really old school, but you can start a fire with a magnifying glass and the sun. Save your lighters for after dark. The crock pot is an amazing idea, I never would have thought of that!
Here's our family camping hack for hot water. Heat your water over the fire or a stove, then put it into a Gott water cooler. **it will warp the inside over time, but keeps it pretty warm for a good while! Love the crockpot idea though, if power is available!!
Jeff was talking about cycling the gas through their vehicles instead to keep it fresh. I do the same: fill the gas can, put it in storage. In a couple months, pour that gas into your vehicle, drive to the gas station, fill your vehicle and the gas can. Put the gas can back into storage. You should have several gas cans, so just rotate which one you're emptying and filling. If you end up in a scenario where you need to use the gas, just continue the same rotation order to use the oldest gas first.
Been prepping my whole life... 5 gallon bucket for toilet so don't waste water. Paper plates bowls silverware since won't be washing dishes... Definitely propane grill for cooking everything including cast iron cookware and tea kettle. Extra underwear since washing clothes will be minimal. And that's if you still have your home which many won't. Tent and sleeping bags portable grill... camping supplies in case you have to bug out. I'm always thinking and 🙏🙏🙏
For the 5 gallon bucket toilet, get a pool noodle and slice it lengthwise, halfway through, and mount it on the rim of the bucket. It'll save your bum. 😊 Also, line the bucket first with a garbage bag, put the pool noodle on, then put a shovelful of dirt in the bottom. Once you go, shovel more dirt on top. And repeat.
This was by far the most realistic walk thru of absolute needs. I had half of them. Going to complete the list asap! Thank you so much. A wonderful family and trust in God and charity of our neighbor as well. A must💜
Very kind of you to make this for everyone! Crazy world we are in. I have been trying to put together a benefit concert for you all in Western NC. My band is willing to not get paid and have a cover charge. Still looking for a willing venue. Also, as an artist, if a painting sells i am going to donate half to Samaritan Purse. God bless and protect you all. I know there are people still missing. It's just unbelievable what has happened there. My sister lives in Waynesville and I spent 4 months there during covid. Love the area..Such a tragedy of epic proportions.
Great advice. This rare mountain storm taught us a lot of lessons. First lesson, it may not be rare anymore. We were very prepared but like everyone else, we realized a few things we either didn’t think of or didn’t prepare hard enough for. We will be better prepared for the next one:)
Thank you. Excellent point about not purchasing a bigger generator than you need. And the crockpot idea is great. I knew my InstantPot was effective but never considered using it as a hot water reservoir. Oh, and congratulations on the good wife.
I always fill thermal cookers at the beginning of a storm. It keeps water or soup piping hot for 8 hours without taking power. It can cook soup or potatoes and carrots and things like that only using enough power to heat the water or broth.
Thank you for the helpful tips. Some of these I've never thought of. It's really nice to see a husband appreciate their wife the way you do. Thanks for sharing your knowledge to help everyone to be better prepared in the event of the next storm.
Propane conversions on generators that can use it is the best solution. Propane has many advantages such as easy to store burns cleaner and the tank last a lot longer than a gas tank.
For what it's worth I just went through Milton down here in Tampa. This is my third grid down hurricane scenario. After Ian a few years ago I went with the Wen 4500i open frame inverter genny and a Pecron E2000lfp for my battery back up. I agreed 100% with all of the above, but I would add a couple of things. 1) have a few fans to beat the heat. 2) A couple of long heavy gauge extension cords. 3) Propane, butane, or charcoal grill. 4) In early September buy some milk in those little blue boxes and hold on to them till November. 5) buy some big blue tarps in case the roof gets damage. 6) have a cordless drill and keep it charged. 7) don' think cellular will be enough for internet. I'm looking at StarLink for next year. Those are mt little additions to Mr. Grays post.
Thank-you Sir! You & your wife & kids are lucky to have each other. Both of you having the same mindset was key! I have watched multiple 'prepper' videos, & "after the storm" videos, & you made the most sense of everyone. Subscribing now! Good Kind People are a Blessing to Humanity. 🇺🇲📚🙏
To save time and $, instead of buying and refilling 1 lb propane cans, you can also buy adapter hoses that convert a 20lb propane tank to a 1 lb. receptacle. So you can just hook up a 20 lb propane tank directly to anything requiring a 1 lb. can.
Great video. I saved. I'm a semi-prepper at 73, and I learned somethings re generator, power pack rechargers. Hahahahaha I grewup with clotheslines...and helped my grandmother as a child wash, rinse and wring. I now know why she was so excited for electric washing tub with wringer!!❤❤😂😂
Lost power last year after a tornado. We have a generator that we used but I didn’t even think about my crock pot. Thank you for that. I’ll definitely be doing that next time.
One item you might try for keeping water hot is a vacuum insulated carafe dispenser pump. You will see these often used at convention halls for dispensing coffee. I can fill one of those up with boiling water in the morning and have hot water all day. If it is a hot day, you could use it to hold ice water.
I do a lot of pressure canning of foods and prepping, I have pressure canned just water so that it is purified and it is clean and it will last for years. Having some of that on hand for drinking is very helpful
This was great! I am an elderly mom living in a "little house on the prarie" with my daughter and son-in-law and their beautiful family just 750 feet away! Talk about blessed! I am pretty sure we have most things ready just in case ( including bug out bags!)! But that hand crank ringer is a tremendous idea...I will be talking to my daughter about that!❤❤😊 Thank you so much for your heart to help others! God's blessings to you all! Your wife is beautiful, she rd.inds me of my daughter!!! Including the long hair!❤
A good reference video for anyone off grid that can plan ahead of time for unforeseen circumstances. The tip on ready low denomination cash kind a surprised me. God bless y'all for being a true witness.
Great video!!! We have Scrubba laundry washing bags to do laundry. Clotheslines, a portable plug in dryer (if you have a good power source like a generator), solar showers, solar kettles, and fondue pots are other good options to have during power outages. Everyone in our family has their own power banks, solar chargers, solar panels, solar battery chargers, usb batteries, power stations, solar showers, solar kettles, Scrubba laundry wash bags, water jugs with funnels, water purification tablets, water filter straws, water filter & purification water bottles, etc. We also have family gear. Board games, external hard drive with movies, tv shows, books, and photos downloaded on it is a good idea. Everyone has one of these, as well.
Quick tip on washing cloths, but one of the smaller combo washer spring dryers units they are all over Amazon, and power them off the generator, yes they will burn fuel but they are faster then a manual wash, the spin will get most of the water out of the washed cloths and you just need to hang them on the line to dry, don’t forget clothes pins for the clothes line, a green house makes a great clothe dryer. On gas buy at least 8 5 gallon gas cans keep them empty and fill them as you fill up your car just before the storm, that way you will have fresh gas. Go Dual Fuel generator and add a big propane tank in your back yard.
Super helpful!! I appreciated your tips and how there were so many that were oriented towards helping others! So many prepper things I have seen never mention that most crucial component which is your neighbors
Not sure if it was covered by someone in the comments but you can get a propane hose that adapts your camp stove from 1 lb bottles to your 20 lb tank. Much safer to hook up that bigger tank once than try to refill the small bottles. Any accident in a bad situation can turn deadly. Another option that we use is a propane distribution tree that attaches to the big bottle so we can run a grill, stove and lantern off of one bottle. We have them for camping but they are also part of our preps.
I lived without electricity in the 70's for years. It teaches you many things. We danced on laundry in the bathtub. We also would drive down to town with a plastic 55 gallon tub tied to the back of the truck with laundry. By the time we got back it was ready to rinse. We also had a hand crank ringer. Aladdin lamps and oil lamps are great. The Aladdin lamps are as bright as a 60 watt bulb. No internet back then. We also had rack with two 55 gallon drums (black) filled with water that with the sun would keep the water hot all day. It served as an outdoor shower or stored water. Loved your crockpot idea for the current times. We did have propane.
We had power out for a day or so last year. The small 12400 watt generator on wheels worked great for us. We were able to move it between three locations in order to keep refrigerators and freezers cold for ourselves and family members. I am over 65 and could easily move it in and our of our van and roll it close enough to buildings. One of the best $100 yard sale purchases we have ever made.
I appreciate the focus you put on the ability to hand gear out to and otherwise help other people as needed. The reality for most is the existence of other people they care about who aren't turbo preppers.
I think a lot of preppers prepare for the absolute worst case: the 1% likely scenario that could be earth-ending. But many don’t prepare for the obvious 99% scenario of an extended power outage. Most people aren’t solely connected to a cadre of preppers. You have to live with the 99% of people and the 99% likely scenario.
The crockpot idea is brilliant! I have most of the other ideas but not that one it was something I have never thought of, warm water is a whole new level and warming home canned food wonderful idea.
Thank you for sharing your prepping ideas. I particularly appreciate your wife's idea about keeping a crockpot for hot water and the metal French press for coffee. Very unique ideas.
Here in Appalachia in a hard hit area no power 25 days. Our OKMO blew out it was overloaded. Now to find a decent power station. Brute force with laundry is no joke. #3 washtub my Husband and I did wash, and wrung wet laundry together.Full body workout, especially JEANS. Good idea with wringing post. My hands are still sore lol.
Thank you SO much for turning your lemons into lemonade for the very big human community and sharing these learnings!! What a beautiful silver lining to this I’m sure very intense expérience!
Thank you Jeff. Yes it was helpful. Big power banks are great in an outage. A form of portable heating, when it is cold is also advisable. Very practical tips.
I have lived most of my life...64 years without electricity. I will make this short. If you have a spring life is easy, in three weeks you wont miss electricity. Your daily habits will change. That is the most difficult thing for humans ...a change in their daily routine. Even if you have water below your house you can place a ram pump to drive the eater uphill without electricity. Also you can install an old fashioned hand pump inyour kitchen. Both of these cost around 300.00 to install. You need a w wood stove in your home to heat the water and a 30 gallon galvinized bucket to bathe in... Water is the first priority. I have a landline phone, my computer is a luxury I watch movies I have bought over the last 20 years about a thousand. Or you can go to your public library and rent one for a dollar on any topic you can imagine. I go to town once a month because I have a 10 bt 10 pantry. I have a compost bucket(no smell) filled with saw dust from the local mill, I just back up my truck and they load. But youcan use earth and leaves as well.I clean the bucket each day. I cook on my wood stove, using cast iron frying pan and pot. No frig. I use zeer pots near the fire and place crocks in the spring. You eill get into the new habit of this way of life in 30 days and begin to see how frenetic your other life was...then you Relearn how to relax. I wish you a long and happy life.
Love this comment.
@@ishabellanamthrak1015 that sounds like you have it planned out. Good for you. I have daughter, son-in-law, and grandson with me. They wouldn’t use compost toilet. When power and water were out, we had a taste of how it could be. At least it opened their eyes a little.
Jung said something like Meaning is found in the simple life and oh, how difficult it is to live life simply ! Wish you all the best, Canada
@@tddr7666I mean, I guess they could just hold it. I wish them luck!
@@stickywebb7631 if we have septic and water to flush we are good.
A while back, I saw on a neighborhood app that a tree had fallen across one of the roads. Hopped in the jeep with a chainsaw, and found it. 4 cars came up, did a u-turn, and drove away. Finally a guy in a truck stopped and just started moving cut limbs off to the side and then another (Propane delivery truck) showed up and he did the same and we got it cleared. So, yeah, it makes you wonder why people don't step up and at least try to help.
I know what you mean. I try to assume the best, though. Those who * can* help will. God bless you ❤
I think some( many?) folks are not critical thinkers, meaning they cannot look at the tree across the road, see the folks chopping it up. AND envision helping as a team to clear it up and how much quicker it would be with as gramma always said, “ many hands make lighter work”. They see the situation and think of an alternative route. Being self sufficient and being prepared for alternate scenarios seems to be a gift in this age of never- ending conveniences. 👍🏻
our local / state government said .. dont cut, down trees, they have power and data lines and you citizens are too stupid to help ... cooper ... dummycrat
Many adults freeze in emergencies
And how exactly are you wanting them to cut up the tree? How do you know those 4 cars all had chain saws and just decided to not help?
When I lived alone on a mountain off grid, my radio kept me Sane. Literally. You can go to dark mental places Very quickly without another human voice. Save a life. Promote Radio in our modern society. No joke.
@heatherconrad5308, You,are 100% correct! We,listened to 99.9 radio Asheville, because we were without electricity for 14 days. Plus our roads are literally gone, because Helene wiped them out. We had no way out. We are now driving through a cow pasture to go over town. Still yet, many people can't get out. We are blessed. GOD created us to be social. We need one another. Or at least we need to know that we are not alone. 🙏Peace to you.
I love radio
I do fine by myself, if needed. We get use to the noise from TV/internet/radio. You can live without noise, but it does take some getting use tp. Nooks are a constant sound in your head, have books. Printed and on your pads and phones.
I play the radio all the time.
A Cold War carry over where my dad played his all the time. He listened to sports games a little music but just to keep an ear open for the National Emergency signal.
If you can get the ones that take batteries and can run on solar, you can be set for awhile.
I’ve taught disaster preparedness for 25 years, and this is one of the best and most practical videos I’ve ever seen. Thank you for posting, and God bless!
Me too retired military and cbrn specialists and was a PA and got degree in DHS emergency management. I have been preparing for decades and have farm in rural area here in the south. My husband was also military and has havac and mechanical business and does restaurant equipment and refrigeration. 3 of my 5 sons serving overseas and homeschool youngest son who is 17 and learned all kinds of useful skills. I this is was one of best videos and explains the basics. I have farm here in GA but have home in Boone area in NC where my family is across state but many there so been going thru this and mom is in FL and doing same. Most videos are redundant info and not useful .
It's also a blessing to have a husband who cares to prepare in such practical ways.
I've see a lot of post-hurricane videos with "tips" which were pretty useless, like putting a cinnamon oil cotton ball in the fridge so it won't smell bad. Your video actually had useful information. Thanx! The idea of using a crock pot for hot water is genius. I will remember that.
I do have a comment regarding washing clothes: I built a solar generator with a 300 Ah battery and 1000 w inverter, and ran 2 loads of laundry. It only used 5% of the battery capacity. If you have a solar charger or power station, you can do laundry in a machine, assuming you have water. Most washers also have an override where you can do a load on SPIN ONLY mode and force the excess water out to reduce drying time. 2nd tip: you can get an adapter to connect between a 20lb propane bottle and your propane stove directly, eliminate the small propane bottle which run out at the worst times. I got a "tree" which connects to the 20 lb bottle and has 3 taps, one being on top for a propane lantern. Makes a great setup for cooking in the dark.
At 70, I've been thru multiple week-long power outages. After each one, you get a little smarter. I'm not a full blown prepper, but a Boy Scout on steroids. Motto: "Be Prepared".
arrgh! I said the same on the fake crop of Helene vids. You are correct. propane generator and solar and battery. Ditch gasoline for many reasons!
I'm so pleased to find someone who talks calmly and rationally about common sense preparedness and reasonable responses without all the ideological baggage from either the far Left or far Right. Thank you for being a good person.
Hands of the American ppl.
Exactly, JDS. Unfortunately, most times I have to take what I can use and leave the rest in the gutter where it belongs. I just need the data and proactive logic.
I've never prioritized or considered the details of massive historical flooding despite living in a lake/water abundant county (midwest), for one. After the Milton/Helene scenes, that was a wakeup call.
Yes, I was especially glad to hear thoughts about having compassion for your neighbors and those around you.
I agree. Excellent job.
As a retired BBC employee, I thank you for your kind comments.... Cheers ! BTW - Wonderful tips/ideas, the crockpot idea is brilliant.
I’ve watched a lot of those BBC shows as well and they really do give you an idea that modern people don’t have about how things can get done efficiently.
We got flooded and found ourselves wading out of a swollen New River in the dark at 4:30 am. Our truck was our bug out plan. Food and basic fire/water/shelter were all there. Lost the truck. Had time to slide feet into sandals, grab sweater , phone, purse. So our new preparedness plan is really pared down. Have a backup bugout bag somewhere else that you can get to fairly easily. We caught a ride to a nearby town where our family lives.
Wow. I’m so sorry! There are definitely some emergency situations that are not something you can be prepared for. I’m just glad you guys are okay!
My folks were stuck on a mountain for 8-9 days after Helene outside of Boone. They did great as they were super ready. I live in Kenya and funny how many of these things we deal with all the time. We have an inverter hooked to the grid that can run our fridge and freezer and lights for 3 days and a back up solar battery for even longer. We have solar lights around the house. We have food in bins. We have a 2- 1000 gallon water tanks. We know how to do laundry by hand (but I will be buying a wringer!) We lost power for 5 days last year and it was a good practice run. I don't have a chain saw so maybe will look into that and I dont have a good man to help out so looking for one of those too if you can include in the links.... Great idea to download homeschooling info and boxes of lighters for neighbors. Also that back up battery to run neighbor' s freezers. Brilliant. Glad you guys are ok. What a beautiful wife and kids!
7 years ago in Puerto Rico hurricane Maria hit. I was lucky only 4 months of no light, internet, banks, postoffice. Some parts of the island waited for a year. My prepping is a gas stove, and canned food. Trust me lesson learned. Hope you all are faring well. Good luck to you, my prayers are with you all.
I remember that. A year is so hard to fathom. I live in a cold place. We would have such trouble in some seasons if that happened. We have lost power for 8 days but it is so hard to imagine how to survive longer than a few weeks.
I love the good wife part. That is the icing on the cake and a good wife is always essential. 💛
And I love tge link he provided to find her🤭🥰
Not sure hubby knows i am the good wife
I ve been prepping
He’s been dreaming
If people laugh at me, he does the same
If they say ‘’wow’’
He says so.😮
God created man and woman for relationships like that.
@@bipbip6626 After 2 divorces from 'college boys' I want to meet a real partner that is intelligent, rugged and determined like my father and grandfather.
You get an A+ for offering the most down to earth, panic free version of how to be prepared for whatever interrupts normal life. I appreciate your common sense approach, with a touch of humor included. Thank you!
I am a senior female living alone and I have been through several hurricanes in my life. So far this is the best recommendations I have seen in YT. I loved your practicality, your humane approach, your serenity, and your recognition of your wife and your children. I wish you were my neighbor 😊! Congratulations to your wife for a well run machine, to your children for their cooperation, and to you for your diligence and advice and hard work. Kudos 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Well said!
I’m Montagnards Vietnam now leave in North Carolina . In Vietnam my people live to use without gas, electricity, phone , toilet paper, but we Did survive
The main thing I need is lighter . Food , clothes. Blanket, or rain coats , pot to cook , some knife
Love what you just sharing
There is an unbelievable abundance of supplies kind people have sent in up here to us… If you can get to a distribution center near where you’re living, they have everything and everything is free! Good luck!
*This WAS helpful. I've been prepared my whole life. My father was an officer in the National Guard, so I grew up under his guidance. I expanded on it as I established my own home. I homeschooled my family and had everything needed to survive 12 days in an ice storm in New England in 2008. Growing up with and knowing how to use/care for wood stoves was essential. Solar has been my newest learning project (I'm in my 50's and still learning!) Your suggestion to have smaller generators to fully use/not waste energy was an "aha" moment for me. I can go days without electricity because we installed a hand pump for our well in our cellar that pumps and primes the pressure tank. But, it is still nice to use a generator to pump the water and run the on demand propane for hot showers. (We DO have solar shower bags that work nice for showers and dish washing IF we can't run the generator). The crock-pot water was an excellent idea I hadn't considered. I'll be watching the shows you linked. See, you are never too old to learn something new! Thank you!!!*
the best tip i got from this is to try to be the kind of prepper that has more for your neighbors and people in need than 5.56 and 12 gauge shared out with precision at high velocities. he actually buys things TO GIVE AWAY. on second thought, perhaps the best message from this video is to move to areas with good people like this and become one of them.
To be sure, my kids and I could dispense a fair amount of lead with precision. But if preppers don’t have a community of people around them who want them ALIVE then I don’t think they’re going to last long. 😂
Amen!
I did hear that a lot in this video and you are very kind to have so many things to give away. I think where I am at is that we are trying to share with others things to slowly stockpile, but a lot of times it falls on deaf ears. Many friends and family spend quite a bit on travel, spend on going out regularly etc, but it’s hard for them to hear “buy just in case” suggestions. Thank you for sharing your family’s experience with us. God bless you.
Then WHEN CANNOT GIVE anymore , LAZY people BECOME VIOENT !
No power 14 days, no internet 21 days, water intermittent because of a break in the line. Did have a generator but gas became a problem. Gas stations closed due to outage or no power. Good idea about cycling gas through cars. Did have plenty of oil. Luckily did have stored water. God is good. We were lucky. Ooh, the wringer is a great idea!
@@chanchan5349 in a pinch you can find a post or tree sapling and for example take a pair of pants and place the crotch around the tree tie the legs loosely at the end and insert a 2 ft hard stick in the knot and start twisting the stick..works great for jeans and sheets ect.
Things I do not miss: cable, streaming and internet. I have an iphone that I use but all other is not needed for me. I could do off grid living and be ok. A tornado came thru in 2011 and since I was on the out skirts of town I was one of the last to have power restored. I was grateful it was restored but it showed me what I was capable of living without.
It’s very cool you know we are just people and we have our different experiences and levels of need and want.
I’m very fortunate to have had my own experiences living here in Florida and losing power but being 100% in every aspect back in hurricane Michael.
I think in the time between that event and today the one thing that I need to add would be one of those star links from Elon Musk to communicate through the web. I’ll tell you that I had satellite TV back when hurricane Michael came through and to be able to turn on The television and receive the satellite made me feel like everything was fine.
I no longer have any type of Internet or satellite TV at my house. And I have done a few things to be able to connect my house and my gas generator since hurricane Michael.
One word of advice is to prepare. When I ran my generator I ran it continuously for like the first couple days or so and for me to run it overnight was the comfort because I had power to the house lights and refrigerator.
And then I started to notice the consumption of gasoline which I had plenty of but I recognize that if I turned off the generator after breakfast had been made and didn’t turn it back on until the evening it increase the amount of time that I could be OK at the house without putting myself at risk leaving the property .
Today we have the election and if something bad happens I just need one trip to the grocery store and I’ll be good for about two months by myself. A star link would be nice.
Great tip about the crockpot! For wringing out clothes, you could also use a wringer meant for wringing mops. They are cheaper.
Good one don't have old ringer I do have a mop ringer thanks
Had never heard that one, but a great idea. My great grandparents kept a cauldron on the wood stove constantly according to the stories my mother has told.
I have buckets, I also have a couple of small washboards, and a conical washer thing on a sick handle, looks like his, but I want to get an updated T-handle. If you have to, you can just use a stick and poke your clothes vigorously, the dasher from a "decorative" old butter churn, or even just a clean, new plunger.
Thanks for providing a first hand view of what preps we need to make life easier during a power outage.
Beautiful family. You're a very blessed man who obviously appreciates the blessings God has bestowed and who also cares for the needs of others.
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband.
Using the crock pot to have hot water available through the day is pure genius for our modern "have a home generator" age - I am older and simply would not have thought of that, but sure have it filed away now and will share it with my family. Had one of those wives, lost her last year but she was with me for 59 wonderful years. Good on ya for recognizing yours! -=dave=-
I use a combo of crockpots and thermal cookers (take the hot water and put it in the thermal cooker and it will cook without power for the next 8 hours)
Thank you. This was the most insightful, realistic, heartwarming video around preparedness. Watched many...your heart is in the right place with a beautiful family!
My goodness.....all this great advice; thank you. I had been waiting for people to get past their harder weeks to then be able to tell us what works best in the situations that come our way.
I’ve been through storms that knocked out the power for 3 weeks. It went from -10 to -50. I used an 1800 Coleman generator to run our furnace. Strung white Christmas LED light through the house and ran a cord to the refrigerator and the TV. In less than 3 hours without power at -50 houses start having expensive issues with frozen pipes. I learned many years ago to be prepared.
Great idea
Ak here also Interior Alaska. Yes power outrages at -40 or colder is brutal.
I grew up off-grid in Brazil without electricity or running water, and now we’re going back to that lifestyle. The first thing we got was an atmospheric water generator, so no matter what happens, our water is secure!
I struggled and scrimped and saved and bought 2 small solar generators. All my anti-solar neighbors came to ME for coffee .
I’m in Texas and in our last round of storms and 1 hurricane my ex apologized to me. When we were together, she thought I was wasting money on prepping items. I have solar generators and other items that she borrowed when my power came back on. She jumped on the train afterwards 😅
This is a scary thought, because a number of them could have started a fire for coffee. Were they just helpless without electricity? It scares me that they couldn't heat water. That is one of the bare neccessities
Thank you for sharing your experiences. You are to be commended for helping your neighbors.
Bonus tip number 8: Simulate SHTF and test your preps for 24 to 48 hours-96 hours -and evaluate where you need to improve.
This
I just did that last weekend while my son was here in case I needed help. He spotted me, but I was able to do it all. Glad I did. I feel better about being alone and handling it.
what's SHTF?
@@allister.trudel SH** hits the fan,when things go bad.
@@allister.trudelShizzle hits the Fizzle
Look how much good one person with compassion can do! Thank you for sharing and thank you for caring for others. God bless!
GREAT IDEA TO USE THE CROCKPOT! I know I am shouting but it's that good of an idea!🎉
I learned some stuff here, and you're a good neighbor for helping those around you
Solar lights in your windowsills to light up your nights. USB adapters for cordless power tool batteries.
This is a wonderful story to keep in mind, just left out using fire wood to cook with a dutch oven was great to have hot water to baked bread. And the flex solar panels are wonderful, we only needed 200 watts per hour for a frig 1200 watts solars kept battery charge for the frig was great. Before this storm I promised my family 7 days on battery power we were at 15 when the power came back and since we have wood heat as a backup we could lived better than our grand parents did in the mountains.
This was EXCELLENT! ive been beating my head against a brick wall talking about a smaller gen. NOW he understands. I could kiss you!
The devistaion of Helene prompted me to get gas, fix chainsaws and chains etc. Cash, meat, charging box. I live in Idaho!
I was just up in Moscow, ID a couple weeks ago. Cheers!
Great idea, Heather
Very thought provoking, sensible, caring preps. Loved the one about your wife❤ It all speaks to the type of person you are. I would add prayer. 🙏❤️ God sees and knows all. ☺️
Thank you
Water!!! I never knew how much water one person goes through a day. been testing in case we have another bad winter.
Morale is what makes the difference. Something to help you perserve through the bad times!
Having all the kit and skills is useless - if you give up!
All the skills will help you maintain your will. All the kit will make it less arduous.
But your mental attitude is what you have to maintain.
Someway of getting a good nights sleep, keep warm and dry and have something to look forward to - little treats etc.
SO good to hear you mention helping the neighbours - humans are communal animals!
God bless you and your family!
Outstanding information. Given in a calm manner. The Crock Pot is a clever idea. Thanks for sharing.
Jeff, I have one of those wives! She's my best buddy. We've been married 51 years and I can tell you it's the best having a wife like yours who actually enjoyed this time of an apocalypse situation. I just can't imagine not having that person in your life. We also had so many moments of times of prayer and reading the scriptures that the time actually went by pretty quickly. And no they don't have those wives on Amazon. Maybe up in Alaska they might, because I remember reading about the old mail order brides. LOL You have a beautiful family. You have a beautiful story to share. If I saw you and your family cutting those trees you could have counted on me even though I'm an old man I would have stopped and helped you and your family without any question. I cannot believe the guys and pick up trucks took photos stopped and turned around and went back home that is unbelievable to me.
Thanks for your video - never thought about the crock pot thing!!! SE Louisiana guy here. Several years after hurricane Katrina I bought a small, 1800 watt, inverter generator, with the intention of running low power with minimal load (2 fridges, small box fans, LED lights, etc.). Hurricanes Ida and Francine tested this prep with success. I managed enough safely stored stabilized gasoline to perhaps keep me in minimal power for at least a month, maybe more if we tap vehicles! Many neighbors have whole house generators, but I wonder if their natural gas supplies could be affected by the right kind of SHTF. I would love to have a huge propane tank, but so far only have some 20 gallon tanks. I need to spend the bucks for a so-called solar generator, might even get a few solar panels. Your tip about bonding with and helping neighbors is golden! In a more suburban environment it is just as important in order to bond together with neighbors, potentially against those with nefarious intentions!
Thank you for reminding us of very simple wisdom. This is what family looks like! God bless you all and continue to make His face shine upon you. Thank you for focusing on the solutions not the problem. ❗️
Laundry is brutal. I live in Louisiana and we were out of lights for over a week due to a hurricane. The ringer is a must. Your hands are gonna cramp without it.
So grateful yall are okay and was able to be a blessing to others. You have a new follower you just gave me some great ideals sent the video to my husband. Please thank you wife for the crock pot idea!
Thank you for the personal emergency information. I love that you shared your items with many around you.
Love that you credited your wife too. Good job. Thanks.
Your calm demeanor, the knowledge you share,and your compassion speak to those who may never have considered preparing or being able to actually be a help in a dire situation. Many thanks. God bless you and your family.
Wonderful advice from someone whose gone thru it. One suggestion is headlamps. It frees up your hands to carry things or done things. Do you need to have lots of extension chords to run from your generator to your appliance? So thankful you weren't severely affected by the hurricane.
Thanks for reminding people to be a blessing to others. In addition to explaining numerous ways they can do so. I pray you continue to be blessed in all things
Great prepping tips to be prepared for weather conditions.. Thank you!
I love how you gave your wife props. First time watching
I'm so blessed to have a good women by my side we wrk together and make it wrk and always remember her ideals are just as helpful as yours
I'm absolutely speechless that you were so prepared. You're amazing! I hope everything goes well for you and your family, brother.
I would suggest headlamps as well as flashlights so you can use your hands and still see. I have painted luminous paint on our flashlights and headlamps so we can see where they are in the dark.
Smart!!!
That woman is worth everything else, and hopefully she appreciates how valuable you are to her as well. Don't let her get bored. I live in the same town as the Niagara Power project is making lots of power, so hopefully we won't be out of juice too long.
This is really old school, but you can start a fire with a magnifying glass and the sun. Save your lighters for after dark. The crock pot is an amazing idea, I never would have thought of that!
Here's our family camping hack for hot water. Heat your water over the fire or a stove, then put it into a Gott water cooler. **it will warp the inside over time, but keeps it pretty warm for a good while!
Love the crockpot idea though, if power is available!!
Make sure when you store gas to put 2 yr sta-bil in it to keep it good .
Seafoam additive works great, too. Lasts 2 years. And I label the jerry cans with expiration date to rotate the gas out. Cheers!
@@DesertJules01 that's what I do ..
Jeff was talking about cycling the gas through their vehicles instead to keep it fresh. I do the same: fill the gas can, put it in storage. In a couple months, pour that gas into your vehicle, drive to the gas station, fill your vehicle and the gas can. Put the gas can back into storage. You should have several gas cans, so just rotate which one you're emptying and filling. If you end up in a scenario where you need to use the gas, just continue the same rotation order to use the oldest gas first.
I use Seafoam in all my ethanol free gasoline for small engine equipment and for fuel storage. This has been a great video !!
Been prepping my whole life... 5 gallon bucket for toilet so don't waste water. Paper plates bowls silverware since won't be washing dishes... Definitely propane grill for cooking everything including cast iron cookware and tea kettle. Extra underwear since washing clothes will be minimal. And that's if you still have your home which many won't. Tent and sleeping bags portable grill... camping supplies in case you have to bug out. I'm always thinking and 🙏🙏🙏
I bought a camping toilet at a garage sale. Haven’t had to use it, knowck on wood!
@@lt2547 🙏🙏we never have to use our prepping off grid stuff 🇺🇸
For the 5 gallon bucket toilet, get a pool noodle and slice it lengthwise, halfway through, and mount it on the rim of the bucket. It'll save your bum. 😊
Also, line the bucket first with a garbage bag, put the pool noodle on, then put a shovelful of dirt in the bottom. Once you go, shovel more dirt on top. And repeat.
@lt2547 I also have to kinds...I leave 1 in trunk
This was by far the most realistic walk thru of absolute needs. I had half of them. Going to complete the list asap! Thank you so much. A wonderful family and trust in God and charity of our neighbor as well. A must💜
A great list of items to consider, and it was presented in a fun way! Thanks.
Very kind of you to make this for everyone! Crazy world we are in. I have been trying to put together a benefit concert for you all in Western NC. My band is willing to not get paid and have a cover charge. Still looking for a willing venue. Also, as an artist, if a painting sells i am going to donate half to Samaritan Purse. God bless and protect you all. I know there are people still missing. It's just unbelievable what has happened there. My sister lives in Waynesville and I spent 4 months there during covid. Love the area..Such a tragedy of epic proportions.
Everything helps God bless
Great video!
Thanks Nate! I've benefited from many, many of your videos.
Great advice. This rare mountain storm taught us a lot of lessons. First lesson, it may not be rare anymore. We were very prepared but like everyone else, we realized a few things we either didn’t think of or didn’t prepare hard enough for. We will be better prepared for the next one:)
Always good to hear the things that worked for other people.
Thank you. Excellent point about not purchasing a bigger generator than you need. And the crockpot idea is great. I knew my InstantPot was effective but never considered using it as a hot water reservoir.
Oh, and congratulations on the good wife.
Great to see you post an episode again. Thanks for all the reminders in this video. Tim in northern TN
The crockpot tip is amazing. Warm water is a big morale boost to wash up in the morning and night. Great video! Thank you.
I always fill thermal cookers at the beginning of a storm. It keeps water or soup piping hot for 8 hours without taking power. It can cook soup or potatoes and carrots and things like that only using enough power to heat the water or broth.
Good video sir. Staying warm is another thing specially with winter here!
Thank you for the helpful tips. Some of these I've never thought of. It's really nice to see a husband appreciate their wife the way you do. Thanks for sharing your knowledge to help everyone to be better prepared in the event of the next storm.
Propane conversions on generators that can use it is the best solution. Propane has many advantages such as easy to store burns cleaner and the tank last a lot longer than a gas tank.
One of the best prep videos I have seen. I have seen hundreds of prep videos. Well done!!! I have shared it many times and downloaded it as well.
For what it's worth I just went through Milton down here in Tampa. This is my third grid down hurricane scenario. After Ian a few years ago I went with the Wen 4500i open frame inverter genny and a Pecron E2000lfp for my battery back up. I agreed 100% with all of the above, but I would add a couple of things. 1) have a few fans to beat the heat. 2) A couple of long heavy gauge extension cords. 3) Propane, butane, or charcoal grill. 4) In early September buy some milk in those little blue boxes and hold on to them till November. 5) buy some big blue tarps in case the roof gets damage. 6) have a cordless drill and keep it charged. 7) don' think cellular will be enough for internet. I'm looking at StarLink for next year. Those are mt little additions to Mr. Grays post.
Thank-you Sir! You & your wife & kids are lucky to have each other. Both of you having the same mindset was key! I have watched multiple 'prepper' videos, & "after the storm" videos, & you made the most sense of everyone. Subscribing now! Good Kind People are a Blessing to Humanity. 🇺🇲📚🙏
To save time and $, instead of buying and refilling 1 lb propane cans, you can also buy adapter hoses that convert a 20lb propane tank to a 1 lb. receptacle. So you can just hook up a 20 lb propane tank directly to anything requiring a 1 lb. can.
Great video. I saved. I'm a semi-prepper at 73, and I learned somethings re generator, power pack rechargers. Hahahahaha I grewup with clotheslines...and helped my grandmother as a child wash, rinse and wring. I now know why she was so excited for electric washing tub with wringer!!❤❤😂😂
Lost power last year after a tornado. We have a generator that we used but I didn’t even think about my crock pot. Thank you for that. I’ll definitely be doing that next time.
One item you might try for keeping water hot is a vacuum insulated carafe dispenser pump. You will see these often used at convention halls for dispensing coffee. I can fill one of those up with boiling water in the morning and have hot water all day. If it is a hot day, you could use it to hold ice water.
I do a lot of pressure canning of foods and prepping, I have pressure canned just water so that it is purified and it is clean and it will last for years. Having some of that on hand for drinking is very helpful
And for first aid if needed
Sounds like you are a great neighbor to have -- in good times and bad. Thanks for the video, I learned quite a bit.
Your best tip of all is to have compassion for others, especially in times like this! God bless you and your family!
One of the best, most concise!
This was great! I am an elderly mom living in a "little house on the prarie" with my daughter and son-in-law and their beautiful family just 750 feet away! Talk about blessed! I am pretty sure we have most things ready just in case ( including bug out bags!)! But that hand crank ringer is a tremendous idea...I will be talking to my daughter about that!❤❤😊 Thank you so much for your heart to help others! God's blessings to you all! Your wife is beautiful, she rd.inds me of my daughter!!! Including the long hair!❤
A good reference video for anyone off grid that can plan ahead of time for unforeseen circumstances. The tip on ready low denomination cash kind a surprised me. God bless y'all for being a true witness.
Great video!!! We have Scrubba laundry washing bags to do laundry. Clotheslines, a portable plug in dryer (if you have a good power source like a generator), solar showers, solar kettles, and fondue pots are other good options to have during power outages. Everyone in our family has their own power banks, solar chargers, solar panels, solar battery chargers, usb batteries, power stations, solar showers, solar kettles, Scrubba laundry wash bags, water jugs with funnels, water purification tablets, water filter straws, water filter & purification water bottles, etc. We also have family gear. Board games, external hard drive with movies, tv shows, books, and photos downloaded on it is a good idea. Everyone has one of these, as well.
Have lived off grid several times and found your video very appropriate. Thank you for helping to spread the word! Well done
Quick tip on washing cloths, but one of the smaller combo washer spring dryers units they are all over Amazon, and power them off the generator, yes they will burn fuel but they are faster then a manual wash, the spin will get most of the water out of the washed cloths and you just need to hang them on the line to dry, don’t forget clothes pins for the clothes line, a green house makes a great clothe dryer.
On gas buy at least 8 5 gallon gas cans keep them empty and fill them as you fill up your car just before the storm, that way you will have fresh gas. Go Dual Fuel generator and add a big propane tank in your back yard.
Super helpful!! I appreciated your tips and how there were so many that were oriented towards helping others! So many prepper things I have seen never mention that most crucial component which is your neighbors
Not sure if it was covered by someone in the comments but you can get a propane hose that adapts your camp stove from 1 lb bottles to your 20 lb tank. Much safer to hook up that bigger tank once than try to refill the small bottles. Any accident in a bad situation can turn deadly. Another option that we use is a propane distribution tree that attaches to the big bottle so we can run a grill, stove and lantern off of one bottle. We have them for camping but they are also part of our preps.
I lived without electricity in the 70's for years. It teaches you many things. We danced on laundry in the bathtub. We also would drive down to town with a plastic 55 gallon tub tied to the back of the truck with laundry. By the time we got back it was ready to rinse. We also had a hand crank ringer. Aladdin lamps and oil lamps are great. The Aladdin lamps are as bright as a 60 watt bulb. No internet back then. We also had rack with two 55 gallon drums (black) filled with water that with the sun would keep the water hot all day. It served as an outdoor shower or stored water. Loved your crockpot idea for the current times. We did have propane.
Thank you! This was very helpful. Great family, by the way.
We had power out for a day or so last year. The small 12400 watt generator on wheels worked great for us. We were able to move it between three locations in order to keep refrigerators and freezers cold for ourselves and family members. I am over 65 and could easily move it in and our of our van and roll it close enough to buildings. One of the best $100 yard sale purchases we have ever made.
I appreciate the focus you put on the ability to hand gear out to and otherwise help other people as needed. The reality for most is the existence of other people they care about who aren't turbo preppers.
I think a lot of preppers prepare for the absolute worst case: the 1% likely scenario that could be earth-ending. But many don’t prepare for the obvious 99% scenario of an extended power outage. Most people aren’t solely connected to a cadre of preppers. You have to live with the 99% of people and the 99% likely scenario.
The segment on compassion is excellent!!! Our current society seems to have forgotten this simple thing. Thank you for being a good person.
The crockpot idea is brilliant! I have most of the other ideas but not that one it was something I have never thought of, warm water is a whole new level and warming home canned food wonderful idea.
Thank you for sharing your prepping ideas. I particularly appreciate your wife's idea about keeping a crockpot for hot water and the metal French press for coffee. Very unique ideas.
Love the crockpot idea- I used a sous vide heater
In a large stock pot off my solar power station.
Your video was the best, practical prepping video that I have seen. Thanks😅!
Here in Appalachia in a hard hit area no power 25 days. Our OKMO blew out it was overloaded. Now to find a decent power station. Brute force with laundry is no joke. #3 washtub my Husband and I did wash, and wrung wet laundry together.Full body workout, especially JEANS. Good idea with wringing post. My hands are still sore lol.
Loved this video. What a beautiful family. Gives a lot of hope that these types of families are still out there. I will share it.
I loved all your suggestions! I thought I heard every prep idea there was and then you came along with your lived experiences. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you SO much for turning your lemons into lemonade for the very big human community and sharing these learnings!! What a beautiful silver lining to this I’m sure very intense expérience!
Thank you Jeff. Yes it was helpful. Big power banks are great in an outage. A form of portable heating, when it is cold is also advisable. Very practical tips.
VITAL. Absolutely vital information. So glad you and your family are healthy and together. Thank you!