My personal lessons learned as a prepper coming out on the other side of a disaster:)

**judembc** · 07-04-2012, 11:15 PM

We got married in 1996 that year we were hit in NH with a bad icestorm. We lost power for almost 2 weeks. I called South as far as Boston looking for a generator. Just went thru phone books calling big name stores and any hardware stores with no luck. Finally found 1 in BJ's in Tilton, NH 1 hour north of here. I must've really sounded desperate bcuz I didn't have a BJ's membership, but they put my name on it and held it for us while we drove there. I was really afraid for our animals so I think the manager sympathized with us. A couple of years ago we got hit with another icestorm & lost power for over a week, but with our new generator it helped. We have a well like alot of you and when you can't even flush it's NO fun. I can't imagine living without one now. Last year we lost power for 6 days during the freak October storm. It was my son's 10th b-day and we were having his party. As soon as the flakes started coming down I jumped up and started packing up food for our guests. They kept telling me "oh no keep it for yourselves" and I was like no you might lose power. They all thanked me later bcuz that's exactly what happened!! With each storm I think of something new to do the next time. It's great that you're all posting your tips to teach the rest of us. I buy water by the case and have our stockpile. Once I hear prediction of a storm I make sure all laundry is done. Battery supply is good. Flashlights and crank LED lanterns are in each room, and quick grab and go meals are available and pet food supply is stocked. We always seem to lose power in the Summer and I can't stand no fans. It seems silly to drag out the generator for some storms so I bought 10" fans that are plug in but also take batteries. Got 4 and gave 1 to my parents. I figure we can put them in bedrooms to at least help us sleep. We also have a crank radio which has helped at times listen to forecasts. Go ahead & make fun of me or call me a flatlander, but I also have a butane curling iron in case I have to go to work - LOL!! We used to camp so the camp stove comes in handy too. We've also made coffee on the camp stove with the camp coffee percolater. Yet like I said with each storm we all say "you know what we should do next time." Thanks for sharing your knowledge!!

**my4littlebuffaloes** · 07-05-2012, 04:33 PM

Toilet paper would be another great bartering item. Glad you survived ok!

**WV_mom_of2** · 07-05-2012, 04:57 PM

I thought of something else we do. We fill empty soda bottles with water and stick in them in our freezers. We do both 2 liters and the smaller sizes. When we go camping we fill a cooler with them and when we need ice in the food cooler we pull out a couple of bottles and bust it up with the hammer, then dump it into the cooler. We are running our generator 2 hours on and 2 hours off most of the day and night. But about 10:30 pm I pull all the fridge stuff out and put it in coolers and put it on ice so we can turn off the generator for a few hours and sleep. I put those smaller frozen bottles into one cooler, making a layer of them on the bottom. Then I put thing that I don't want down in water like the boxes of margarine, the packs of cheese, the coconut, etc into that cooler and pack more water bottles around it and on top. The next morning I put them back into the freezer to use the next night. It's saved us from using our other ice and kept the food cold. It also helps your freezer work better and stay cold longer to have it full!

**BlissMommy** · 07-05-2012, 10:18 PM

Thank you for sharing this. I am going to be making notes next to get started on being better prepared.

**shelly123** · 07-06-2012, 06:44 PM

Great info!
Thanks for sharing- I have shared this with my husband also.
I hope everyone in your family is okay.

**227melissa** · 07-07-2012, 04:03 PM

Glad you are ok, my son is in WV right now trying to get your power back on. We have to stay prepared here on the gulf coast, you never know when another Katrina will hit.

**WV_mom_of2** · 07-07-2012, 07:10 PM

They are saying more severe storms for WV tomorrow. We are 9 nights and 8 days into no power. If we get bad storms again it will knock out everything they have already fixed and mine will take forever!

**WV_mom_of2** · 07-07-2012, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by 227melissa

Glad you are ok, my son is in WV right now trying to get your power back on. We have to stay prepared here on the gulf coast, you never know when another Katrina will hit.

Please thank your son for me. I think the crew working around here is from Ohio but thanks to anyone who came in to help!

**227melissa** · 07-08-2012, 07:53 PM

He said you very welcome. My ds lives in North Carolina, that's where the company is from he works for. I talked to him today he has 147 hours of overtime that's going to be a big paycheck lol.

**WV_mom_of2** · 07-08-2012, 08:09 PM

I heard that company here was working 16 hours, off for 8, then right back to it. And it's been miserably hot this week and so humid! I feel sorry for them, but very thankful too. It's looking like we MIGHT get our power back on tomorrow morning...maybe!

**freebs** · 07-09-2012, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by shortstack

That is a very handy tip. What kind of heavy blankets?

sorry i am just getting back on this, we used heavy packing blankets and heavy quilts. We were without power for 8 days and we never opened it at all. Everything was still frozen when the power came back on! now an upright freezer the stuff even wrapped in blankets was thawed out in less than 3 days!

**frugalfranny** · 07-09-2012, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by freebs

sorry i am just getting back on this, we used heavy packing blankets and heavy quilts. We were without power for 8 days and we never opened it at all. Everything was still frozen when the power came back on! now an upright freezer the stuff even wrapped in blankets was thawed out in less than 3 days!

Thanks again............I could do this with no problem.

We have been really lucky in not losing power for more than a few hours........don't think it has ever been "days"........but you never know. The weather has
been so wacky!! I see potential fires as our biggest danger! And have had 'firestorms' before........

**Mom23boys** · 07-09-2012, 12:06 PM

That is very good information you have provided, Shortstack. I had never thought about some of your suggestions until you posted them. I am sorry you had to endure this situation.

**judembc** · 07-09-2012, 08:57 PM

WV Mom of 2 - Thinking of you - did you get your power back on?

**PlainCash4** · 07-09-2012, 09:40 PM

I lost power for 12 hours, so i didnt lose anything. Luckily if i had, it was almost time to grocery shop anyway....lol. I was lucky, so many people i know lost power for up to a week. ONe friend of mine just got his back today !