Welcome, I am a fellow general Ottawa area member, there is a number of us 😉 look for the posts on the coming Ottawa seedy Saturday meet, greet an visit, it will also help connect you in the garden, seeds etc

Hi,

I'm a newbie to the forum from Ottawa. I've been aware of SHTF scenarios for a while, but only in the last year have I really started to plan and put things in place. To date in my life, a tornado's passed over my home (Edmonton '87), went out the same night as 3 bombs going off in the main market (Pakistan '87), and endured a hurricane passing over my hotel (Cuba '99) ..and worked in Y2K readiness in '99 for an air traffic control organization...so I am well acquainted with Murphy's Law 🙂 And to top it off, this is an earthquake-prone area (although not my immediate vicinity) 😕

I live alone, with a dog, 2 cats, and a, usually fostering at least 1 kitten at any given time, so I have made preparations for them, too. So far, I have prepped what I think is a pretty great bug-out bag for me and my animals, stored extra water & food, as well as an "extended" kit (more food, more of everything). I've set up my home to be as self-sufficient as possible (wood fireplace, backflow valves), but no generator. I tried growing my own veggies for the last few years, but I don't get enough sun so am looking into community gardens this year. I have friends in the country who have septic & generator if it come to that. All in all, I think we would be ok for a week or so in most situations. My philosophy is that those who can (able-bodied/healthy) should prepare, so that govt/emergency services can get to those who may need it more (elderly, small babies, those disabled/injured) Also, with pets, one cannot bring them to a shelter so I would rather stick it out at home than leave them, if possible.

One thing I would like to learn more about & try is dehydrating food and seed sprouting. Another concern is how one finds out about hazardous chemicals nearby..I live close to industrial-zoned land but have no idea what's there. Also, I was wondering what people think about security (personal & household) that does not involve guns. I am not opposed to other weapons or physical training, but I have handled guns & have no interest in owning one (no offense to those who do 😐 ) Right now I have bear spray and a very loyal Doberman...

I must admit I think the psychological aspect of post-apocalyptic scenarios are fascinating, from a human 'what-would-you-do' perspective. I am reading "The Disaster Diaries" by Sam Sheridan right now. A while back I read "Emergency" by Neil Strauss and almost peed my pants....frakin' hilarious but also good insights in both books. And yes, I am another one of those Walking Dead fans. Love practical Carol, glad drama queen Lori is gone 😉

Anyways, looking forward to reading & hearing from like-minded people..

Cheers,
HopeImReady

"Roslin: It is crazy perhaps, but that doesn't mean it isn't true."

Welcome 🙂

Personally I think generators are overrated, and you'll find some similar opinions if you look around. You didn't really specify what type of area you live in, but if it's a typical suburban house then the noise of the generator just alerts everyone in the area that you've got stuff. You'd want to avoid drawing attention to yourself at all costs, especially if you aren't planning to keep guns for defense of the house. If you needed refrigeration for your food stores, I'd strongly advise moving away from that now. If you just needed light, you can get it from any number of solar powered flashlights and lanterns without the added noise. You can do the fancy ones (I have 2) or just stock a bunch of those cheap garden lanterns. And if you feel you really need to have rechargeable batteries, you can rig up a solar setup for that as well, probably for less than half the cost of a generator. Quiet is good.

Wood stove. Awesome. Wish I had one. Think about where you're wood is coming from though. If you have a shed full of wood...great...until it gets stolen. Any external structure on your property is vulnerable to thieves, and firewood is exactly what they're after in a crisis. If you do store it outdoors, you better have one hell of a secure shed, or you should bring it indoors when the going gets tough. The neighborhood trees will go in no time. So don't count on those as as source of fuel in the long term. If you live down the road from the forest then that's great. But assume that your car will be out of commission and you have to transport the wood by hand. For that you'd like something like a shopping cart or a wagon. You could even build a 3-wheel bicycle cart if you want, but remember that the fancier you get the more likely it is that some envious soul will try to take it from you.

Personally I have a Solo Stove. It will boil water and runs on whatever scrap wood I can find. I'm confident that I could walk an hour down the road to the forest and come back with a bag full of wood scraps if I needed to. It's good to have options.

Self defense. I won't spend too much time trying to change your mind about guns, but I will say there isn't really a substitute. If someone with a hunting rifle decides to attack your house and you don't have something to shoot back with, you're kinda hosed. But since you asked, alot of people seem to like bows and crossbows. If I couldn't have a gun I'd want one of those; it'd let you engage assailants at a moderate distance.

Bear spray is good. Keep in mind that you'll want to carry it concealed, with a system to easily get at it. Look up "gray man" as it relates to preppers and SHTF scenarios. Basic principle is to not look interesting and most people will leave you alone. I'm of the opinion that the guys walking around in camo with an AR-15 will be the first ones to get attacked (sorry guys).

Saw a video the other night, I lost it again. But the guy recommended some brackets from Home Depot that you could install around doors and windows either before or during an emergency. They would let you insert 2x4s to bar entry. He also recommended placing obstacles around the door like an old TV or some trip wires to mess up anybody who comes barging in.

Krav Maga training is well respected. Unlike the "fair fight" martial arts, Krav Maga is basically about winning at all costs. So it incorporates some karate-style moves while also encouraging you to bite, grab genitals, and whatever other dirty crap you need to to to survive the fight. I haven't tried it but it makes sense.

If for some reason you change your mind about guns, you can get a "non-black" Russian SKS rifle for about $200. Even has a folding bayonet. I think it'd discourage any asshole coming through your window. You could also consider a Ruger 10/22 rifle with a 25 round magazine (yes that's legal in Canada). A .22 gunshot will scare off most people without necessarily killing them. And if that became necessary, you've got 24 more rounds at the ready. Just a thought.

But anyway, there's plenty of knowledge on here. Good luck with your plans 😉

Thanks Farmgal and Captain Ambiguous. I am in a suburban townhouse. My wood is in a woodpile, no shed. Good point about bringing in the wood, I'll add it to my 'things to do just before the SHTF' list (assuming one has advance warning). I live on the edge of the city so I'm within a block of several miles of treed areas, if needed (but would need an axe & wagon). I don't have a wood stove, just a fireplace. I would only use that for heat in the winter; otherwise I have gel camp stove & lots of gel fuel for heating water/food that would likely be more efficient for fuel. I have a bunch of regular & crank flashlights plus an Eton combo weather radio/flashlight/phone charger that can charge by crank/USB/solar. I lived in rural Quebec as a kid and the power always went out, so no biggie. None of my emerg food stores need refrigeration. Plus I am a fish-eating veggie/pescotarian, so beans are my friend and don't have to worry about spoiled meat 😉 (but will try making salmon jerky this spring). One thing I think is good is that I've maintained my first aid training for years (plus animal first aid)..people underestimate how important it would be not to get injured as modern surgery would likely not be available. I'll look into the Home Depot door brackets...never heard of them. I've read a lot about the grey man idea (or woman)..I agree. Makes more sense to avoid attention than to deal with it. I used to do archery briefly as a teenager..maybe I should get my "Daryl" on 🙂