• rottingleaf@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Eh, I have a Yoda-looking USB stick with Slackware 14.1 written to it in times immemorial, as in high school.

      I thought I lost it or someone stole it (looks nice), until I found it mutilated by mice (the rodent kind, not the input device kind) in one place I rarely visit.

      I don’t generally carry it with me, though. But when I did, it was the same.

  • GiddyGap@lemm.ee
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    4 days ago

    Unemployment. Like many others, I keep an emergency fund with high yield that can keep food on the table for the fam while looking for a new job. Replenish as soon as I get a new job.

  • Jourei@lemm.ee
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    4 days ago

    I fiddle with batteries and very small scale solar. My inverter should be able to handle running my fridge for a few hours.

  • TwoBeeSan@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    8 tb media back up. Most non essential shit ever lol.

    Figure if we’re without water I’m dead anyway.

  • Vanth@reddthat.com
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    5 days ago

    Sub-zero degree sleeping bag in the trunk of my car, plus a jug of water and some MRE-type food packs with water-activated food warmers. I grew up in a very rural area and got stuck on the side of the road in a blizzard for too long; I came out ok but it was terrifying. Now I live in a densely populated area that doesn’t get blizzards but I still prep.

    I used to let my toilet paper run nearly down to zero before I bought another pack. The pandemic lockdown months changed that. I used paper towels and liberated a couple rolls from work back in the day. Now I keep more on hand before triggering next buy. Never again.

    I’m a good example of “we prep for our fears”. I also do backcountry backpacking and everyone in that hobby does to some degree. I go out with a nurse sometimes and her first aid kit is nearly three pounds while mine is a couple bandaids and rubbing alcohol swaps.

    • endofline@lemmy.ca
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      5 days ago

      You described equipment for pretty much climber. You don’t have shops every corner in the mountains and sleeping overnight happens sometimes due to bad weather. Sub zero temperatures are the norm in the mountains

  • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.works
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    5 days ago

    Well, I live 5 meters under sea level. The most realistic disaster to happen to me would involve a giant crushing wave of water, and there’s not much you can do to get out of that.

    But since I like backpack hiking, and buying in bulk is cheap, I have something like a month of food, some lifestraws, some water, extra cooking gear, etc.

  • AnarchistArtificer@slrpnk.net
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    5 days ago

    I have a variety of blankets near my bed, of varying weight, warmth and texture. It’s mostly because of autism related sensory preferences that vary across situations, but it’s also great when hosting guests.

  • RBWells@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    I think I could survive a Prohibition for quite some time, and even homebrew and sell it or run a speakeasy.

  • CrazyLikeGollum@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    Just all of my entertainment is stored locally, either on my NAS, or in the form of physical media (books, blu-rays, physical games), so I’m prepared for a long term internet outage. I can also run everything in the house from battery backups and a generator for about three days or possibly up to a week if I immediately turn off everything that’s nonessential. Longer, if I’m in a position to get additional fuel for the generator.

    I also live in an area that’s prone to earthquakes so I have a total of two weeks worth of nonperishable food and water split between the bedroom, office, and main living area of the house. Along with first-aid kits, Tylenol, ibuprofen, emergency blankets, and spare cold weather clothes.

    I’m generally pretty well prepared for the major emergencies that can happen in my region of the world. Those being prolonged internet/cell outages, power outages, and earthquakes.

      • CrazyLikeGollum@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        Pretty sure the term “prepper” is just shorthand for “doomsday prepper” or something to that effect. People who think the collapse of civilisation is, if not imminent, a strong possibility within the next human lifetime and are preparing for that.

        I am definitely not that. I just take precautions against the specific emergencies that occur where I live with a level of regularity.

        Blizzards knock out power for hours sometimes into a day or two once or twice a year. We have multiple earthquakes a day, typically in the M1 to M3 range, but M7+ are once a decade events, M9+ are once are century events. Being ready for reasonable natural disasters isn’t prepping, it’s just smart

      • Shiggles@sh.itjust.works
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        5 days ago

        Where do you draw the line? I don’t even live somewhere where it would be reasonable to expect a major disaster, yet I’ve got some water and non perishables set aside “just in case” alongside a crank powered radio and that sort of stuff. It wasn’t that big of an investment, but if there’s some mega blizzard or whatever I’ll be much better off.

  • felixwhynot@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    Like… where do you draw the line?

    I’ve got water, a purchased “bug out bag”, camping gear, extra clothes and water in the car, batteries, ham radio, and a crowbar.

    I’m not a prepper but I consider myself somewhat prepared

    • Sasha@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      5 days ago

      I feel like the difference is what you’re preparing for, when I think of a prepper I’m thinking of people who are planning for an enormous society ending disaster.

      I’ve also got a bug out bag, but it’s just for general emergencies if I need to leave my place in a hurry very unexpectedly.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      This is a good idea, as is first aid, for every day life. I keep thinking I should do similar, as well as a stranded kit for my car, but it never quite comes together.

        • AA5B@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          I just discovered some leaking so I no longer have that. It really drives home the point that these need regular, if rare, attention. Also that plastic not only seeps into the water with time, but the jugs eventually degrade enough to leak

          • felixwhynot@lemmy.world
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            5 days ago

            What happened to your supply to cause leakage?

            Sure, plastic isn’t perfect, but it is cheap and easy to get. I have plastic gallons for my house and car. I’m willing to consume a bit of extra plastic in a disaster situation 🙃

            • AA5B@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              No idea. A couple gallon jugs of water just started leaking. As far as I know, nothing happened to them, nothing was touching them. They were still upright and sealed

              Maybe something related to sitting on a concrete floor or seasonal swings in temperature (and no, it hasn’t gotten to freezing here yet, nor has my basement ever frozen).

  • Admiral Patrick@dubvee.org
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    6 days ago

    A water outage lol.

    Last Christmas eve, my meter froze and the water company didn’t consider it an emergency since it wasn’t a geyser. I didn’t have water for 3 days until it thawed.

    Now, I keep several days of water jugs in the basement just in case. Also, my water company sucks.

    • PetteriPano@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      Can’t live without water. Our guidelines are to be prepared to be self-sufficient for up to three days in an an emergency.

      I used to have a 20l jug of water on standby, and I’ve had to resort to it twice in eight years because of one planned and one unplanned outage. For the unplanned one my municipality eventually showed up with a water truck on our street so we could refill.

      Now I keep 50 litres and I have a well with my neighbours which I use mostly for watering the garden, but it’s potable. In a prolonged power outage situation I might have to scurry over to the neighbour with a battery and an inverter to keep the pump going.

      • Admiral Patrick@dubvee.org
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        5 days ago

        Yeah, I’ve got four 55-gallon rain barrels I use for watering outside (and I guess flushing if it comes to it). Unfortunately, this summer was a full-on drought and they were kinda useless (though my area did get several days of drizzle during Helene and they finally got filled up).

        I live in the 'burbs so can’t drill a well, unfortunately.