Young- and looking for an option.

Anyone?

Hello and welcome ~~

Prepping for Florida does have it's own unique problems, largest of which being unbelievable humidity (bad for canned goods), bugs galore, and the odd hurricane or two.

A small tidbit of advise, and I think everyone here will agree: if something really bad happens, do *NOT* go to a government/FEMA support center. They'll be a deathtrap.

You'll want to find somewhere above the flood line to store your stuff. Just putting it in your house is no good if your house gets washed away, or flooded and you can't get to your preps.

Because of FLorida's unique qualities, and I know I was stationed in Biloxi for a while, you're going to want one of those nice region specific first aid kits. Yours would have antivenin for the local breeds of snakes, various types of bug spray, and then other assorted stuff. If you get one, make sure you buy a couple packets of quik-clot to put in there. That stuff is golden! In Iraq I saw some put on a guy's sucking chest wound, AND IT STOPPED THE PROBLEM! It even held lung pressure to the point he could breathe. He walked out of there and got on the medvac helicopter himself!

That's just a small, teeny-tiny portion of your road, but starting now puts you miles ahead of everyone else...
    

Heh...good ol' Florida. I come from 6 generations of Floridians on my mothers side, and I'm pretty sure even farther back on my fathers'. I know this isn't the most ideal location for riding out the plague...but,...I hope I can stay here.

Don't panic. This might very easily all blow over. It is very easy to catch yourself in an isle at the store throwing cans into your cart of food that you've never even looked at before. That is unnecessary and expensive. Been there, done that.

Don't worry now about your financial situation in the future if things do turn out bad. Everybody has a mortgage, everybody has too much debt. Nobodies going to be flush with money. If the country is in a tailspin the goal is to keep alive, not worrying about someone evicting you. There are going to be lots of available, cheap, housing if the BF hits hard.     

Don't run out and spend a ton of money on food you'll never eat unless there is a disaster. There are some exceptions: bulk rice, beans, oil, noodles, sugar and flour. It might seem "third world" but this food can keep you alive and its so cheap that even if you don't use it you haven't spent a bunch of cash. You want to feel good. Go out an buy two 25 lbs bags of rice. That rice, and a neighbbor's dog, will keep you in good eats for a month.       

You can also start by picking up some extra items that you are buying anyway. But don't spent the family into ruin. Buying soap? Buy an extra bar. Buying a can of Crisco? Buy two. Do you really like Campbell's chicken noodle soup. Stock up when its on sale. It will keep. Any canned items that are being sold at a huge discount are worth considering.

And if you are going to be moving...that presents a huge timing issue...do you buy now and move or wait and buy after the move...if its me, I wait but I also get moved ASAP.

Don't plan for 20 people. At least quite yet.

Read the "What mistakes have you made?" thread. It is a pretty good guide on what not to do and, therefore, what to do. Then pull up the "Top 100" list. Its a good checklist to work from.

Buy your non-perishable, no expiration,items first - if you end up with 100 rolls of toilet paper you can always use them. If you buy 100 boxed juices, you may end up throwing them out if you don't drink that stuff.    

Water is important. Read up on the methods to treat and store and pick a couple. Bleach is cheap. My choice is mostly bulk storage...55 gallon barrels, trash cans, etc. But I also fill 1/2 gallon clear plastic milk jugs.
Again, you can't plan for 20 people at first.

Try to decide on what kind of emergency lighting will work for you. I started out thinking I'd use Coleman camping lanterns but changed off to kerosene. Lots of cheap used lanterns in both styles. Cooking and heating present the same issue...kerosene, charcoal, wood, solar, etc. Think about what you can handle. For me, it was primarily the Coleman cook stove that runs off Coleman fuel or gasoline. Again, dirt cheap used.

Do you can? Probably not. But canning is a useful thing to know how to do. You can buy a used canner and a couple dozen jars for less than the cost of a case of good beer. A small canner or pressure cooker also cooks food a lot quicker than a regular pot.

At first when I started prepping I would think, Oh I don't have a lamp and I'd run out and buy it new. Wouldn't open it because I figure I can e-Bay it if things work out but still that's an expensive way to prep. Now I'm a bargain hunter and opportunist. If I figure out I need something, like a kerosene heater, I start looking on craigslist and the thrift stores. Eventually what I want shows up. And for pennies on the dollar. I know things might get primitive so whenever I see "old fashioned" items being tossed or at garage sales I pick them up.              
   
Lots of posts on how to kill and maim the marauding hoardes of hungry and looting non-preppers. And lots of opinions on city vs. rural existence. Get a comfort level with what you can do, realistically, to protect yourself and understand that we all die sooner or later. Enjoy yourself now. These are the best of times.

I hunt and I have good firearms and have stocked up on sufficient ammo. I bought a couple of cans of pepper spray for a non-lethal option.

     

I know this isn't the most ideal location for riding out the plague...but,...I hope I can stay here.

Where is a good place to ride it out? Let me know, I'll meet you there. I don't think there's any such place.

As for Antivenin, certain kinds actually come in the first aid kit. At least that's what it said comes in there. I don't know. The ones we were pilfering in Iraq had little vials for the desert vipers we'd run into all the time. In the bag it had all the stuff you'd need, and instructions on what to do for each kind of snakebite with pictures of each snake for reference.

I have absolutely no plans of going anywhere near a medical facility. I don't even want to travel outside of my property lines.

I don't mean going to a medical care facility. I mean one of those FEMA refugee camps like the ones they set up for New Orleans residents after Katrina. Those people were held prisoner at gunpoint in deplorable conditions, with very armed criminals ruling. I'd rather take my chances in the outside world than be caged with criminals.

As for your water drums, you might want to make sure they're rated for drinking water. You might have a very serious problem if you fill them up and then when they're needed most you find that the plastic has contaminated them.

I've never really dealt with the Mormons personally before, but they prep like nobody else does. It's actually kinda cool that they all have a years worth of food stored! When I was in Salt Lake City I was treated like a second class citizen because I wasn't Mormon. Apparrently me not wearing those nifty undergarments made me an outsider. Whatever...

For the most part they seem to be nice people. Their Elders that ride around my city on their bikes are honest honorable folk. They will probably help you, but throw in a good reason for you to convert.
    

Word. You guys have been such great help.

Nevertoolate and Turbo, I appreciate your advice. It was all great advice. Especially the "don't freak out" part.

You sound like you've got the skills, you just need a litte time to work out the details. I'll bet you're way ahead of 90% of the general population but just don't know it.

Don't spend a wad of cash on masks...the latest report is that they probably don't help much and will give you a false sense of security. Gloves are good, and can be used non-BF tasks if it blows over.

Food...again, to get over the feeling that you'll starve, go out an buy a few large bags of rice, beans, spices, and a couple of boxes of those 30 pack Ramen noodles at SAMS or COSTCO or whatever you have and you'll have something substantial (wild pig and rice sounds tasty) for way less than 100 bucks. I don't know about storing it in Florida. I keep mine in a cool basement in the dark so I'm not worried about spoiling. We have a Mormon cannery where I'm at and while I haven't used it, a non-LDS co-worker has, and I guess its pretty slick.

If you are growing and have canning supplies you have a huge leg up on a whole bunch of folks. Start canning meat you like. Cheaper cuts tenderize nicely and you can use it for in types of recipes.

One note: Therese was concerned about using milk containers for water. The ones I use are some Hy-Vee organic milk "bottle" that's sort of a cross between glass and plastic. Its clear, firm, and I am sure it will be OK. And, any water you have can be used for something even if not drinking...you can flush a toilet with dirty water if the regular water supply is down.            

Heh...I used to snag my brother-in-law's MREs and eat them (mainly the m&m's..heh) when I was a little kid. Mind you, they don't taste fabulous...they are a HELL of a lot better than starving.  And, I know a few military people, so I'll ask around and see what I can find.

Turbo....would you really say 5-10% chance? I was thinking that due to the simple fact alone that the human race hasn't experienced a major plague (and let's face it...1918 was nothing compared to some of history's worst) in god knows how long....that the perfect storm was brewing. Or for example, that people are living vainly, with no desire (or education) to help themselves... the oil crisis is definitely another... and this weather phenomena (be it global warming or natural climate change).... IMHO, our likelyhood of experiencing something earth shattering are getting higher by the minute. ....and you're right...not just BF, but a multitude of things. I've had a feeling since I was a small child that something weird/bad would happen in my lifetime. I've had dreams since I can remember about packing up for a disaster and leaving.

HAHAHAHAHAHA...I have heard stories about the Vomlet!!

My MIL thinks I am NUTS. I haven't told the FIL. He's a crotchety old jerk, anyhow.

Hi floriduhgirl ... and welcome to the forum ...

Komet, you are so right about the mental piece. I have recently been able to have good conversations with my grown children. I told them, "This is either going to never happen, or it's going to be the most devastating experience of our lifetime. That is why I prepare." They get it now. They don't think about it like I do, which is daily, but they do now have the mindset of what it will take if and when this pandemic hits. You can endure a lot of hardship if you are mentally prepared to do so.

Florida girl

You might really enjoy "The Tightwad Gazette" as it makes you make do with what you have and encourages you to think laterally and make stuff out of practically nothing.