Where to start

[Ferret]

I've read and I've downloaded the various lists and I'm thinking oh heck!

The basic car kit is massive! I have a fairly big seven seater car but I also have three teenage daughter who play a lot of sport and play, amongst other things a harp and a french horn - i need my boot space just to get to school and back!! Where on earth do you put it all?

I've seen lots of references to BOB, which is I reckon where we should start. I am not about to go out and buy the lot on the list. Not least because half of it I probably don't know how to use and as per the link about the six things likely to kill a prepper I'd like to stick with what I know!

So with apologies if this has been asked before (I'm sure it has been but I've not found it - so please bear with me ) What would be the key essentials apart from water? Should I start with the car kit and gradually fill that up, or the personal survival kit or the BOB - for which I haven't found a definitive list! There are five of us humans and quite a lot of animals so I have to think for all of us (well I hope so anyway, I hope I don't get to the stage of looking at the dogs and the pan at the same time but I appreciate it could happen in a worst case scenario).

I am super organised but I do like to work from a list, I'm happy to make my own but you all have FAR more experience than me! I'm assuming the things I have to think about in the short term are:

Warmth/Shelter
Food/water
Security
Communication

My Christmas list this year might be a bit different!

[Wildman]

a 72h bob would be your best bet. and make a stores else ware. when making a bob its very easy to over fill it. why have rope when u have a knife? why have plasters when there's moss, why have a big box of rations when an air pistol and tin of pellets will yeild better results. plus learning survival skills and thinking "whitch one of my family would be the best gatherer, hunter,first aider, farmer ect and then teach each skill aspecialy to the chosen ones. i hope this has helped and i'm happy to ans any questions as best i can.

[Scythe13]

There is one important thing I would recommend to everyone....learn to use a knife. A knife can build a shelter, make cutlery, catch food, make traps, make fire (or fire tools), and a whole load more. But that is a very bias view point.

Don't get hung up about the gear list. I know people with tools they don't even know how to use!



As difficult as it all seems starting this, take one step at a time.



Let us help you out a bit more.
What is your plan of action, should a bad situation occur? Do you plan to stay at home or to change location?

There is no right or wrong plan. However, when building your kit up, there is easily a wrong way to go. That way, is the way that says "Get this and get that...." when you don't even know what you plan on doing.

If you're bugging in and staying put, a BOB would just be a wedge of money sat in the corner looking pretty. If you plan of getting up and leaving home, a stock of tins and water will just weigh you down and p**s you off when you try to take them with you.






First off, what's your plan, and we can work on what would be helpful to have?

[Wildman]

(27 November 2012, 19:30)Scythe13 Wrote: There is one important thing I would recommend to everyone....learn to use a knife. A knife can build a shelter, make cutlery, catch food, make traps, make fire (or fire tools), and a whole load more. But that is a very bias view point.

Don't get hung up about the gear list. I know people with tools they don't even know how to use!



As difficult as it all seems starting this, take one step at a time.



Let us help you out a bit more.
What is your plan of action, should a bad situation occur? Do you plan to stay at home or to change location?

There is no right or wrong plan. However, when building your kit up, there is easily a wrong way to go. That way, is the way that says "Get this and get that...." when you don't even know what you plan on doing.

If you're bugging in and staying put, a BOB would just be a wedge of money sat in the corner looking pretty. If you plan of getting up and leaving home, a stock of tins and water will just weigh you down and p**s you off when you try to take them with you.






First off, what's your plan, and we can work on what would be helpful to have?

most agreed-all any human needs is a knife. its how it all started.

[Ferret]

Yes I see how the plan the action and then stock accordingly makes sense. Thank you.

[Scythe13]

Okay then Ferret, what's your course of action and your plan so far?

My plan has changed since my location totally changed. So now I'm planning on bugging in first. Was living in Bristol and planned to bug out. Have cached some gear in Bristol, if I'm passing through. But really, I'm just planning on bugging in for a few months, then MAYBE bugging out, if need be. But where we are, I can't really see that happening.

Are you staying home, of leaving to another location?

[Wildman]

steels to stay away from imo-400,420,430,440-wether cc or heat treated or both steels to have and cherish imo-1095, o1,o2,d2 tool steel, ats34(heat treated) insanely strong steels! my o2 carbon tool steel knife was still popping hairs off my arm after i violently hacked and slashed at a 200 year old oak tree to trie and dull the blade. this thing is like a samurai!! it simply isnt blunting. (i dont usualy trie and fuck up one of my knives, i just wanted to see that i wasnt ripped off on the perchace) now i recomend the good steels to all, coz in the survival world of nature a shit knife=a shit life

[Ferret]

Stay home I reckon. We are off the beaten track (though a bit too close to Durham for my liking) Have supplies, space for supplies, have plenty of good neighbours both farming and village. Possible water supply (field drain fed pond - would need sterilising but there is a heck of a lot of water) plus we "know" our area.

[NorthernRaider]

Slow down everyone PLEASE you will overwhelm our new furry little friend, one step at a time and stick with the essential basics

Decided if your PRIMARY plan is to bug out or stay put, if you have lots of dependents chances are bugging in is the main objective.

How many in your family or group
How much food do you have
How much more do you GRADUALLY need to get.
Have you got a decent gravity fed water filter. Clean water is the difference tween life and dysentry.
Do you have independant heating, lighting and cooking facilities such as wood burning stoves, calour gas camping cooker, lots of 12 hour candles and LANTERNS ( no naked lights please) Light Sticks, piles of logs etc
Do you have enough water storage facilities
Do you have a top notch first aid and dental kit
Do you have suitable clothes and tools
Do your family know what to do if something goes wrong

[Scythe13]

(27 November 2012, 20:07)Ferret Wrote: Stay home I reckon. We are off the beaten track (though a bit too close to Durham for my liking) Have supplies, space for supplies, have plenty of good neighbours both farming and village. Possible water supply (field drain fed pond - would need sterilising but there is a heck of a lot of water) plus we "know" our area.

Perfect. That's just what we needed to know.

And it seems NR has asked the next questions.

By the sounds of it, you're semi rural. Odd question, do you have an Aga or similar style cooker? Just thinking about how you heat your home.