Pondering Prepping

I'm an avid fan of the television show Revolution.  I love it's premise.  A world without power.  How would we survive? Could we?  Well, people have done it for the past 6,000 years so with a little prep. we can too. 

I love electricity.  I love my clothes washer and my computer, my fridge and freezer, my water flowing to me, my toilet flushing etc.  but what happens if it all just stopped working.  Now, I'm not talking nano-tech like in the show but even a storm can wreak havoc on the power grid.  Ask anyone who was impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

My attention has also been drawn to what I have named the North American Power Grid Drill supposedly taking place on 11/13- 11/14/13.  Of course every conspiracy blogger out there has something to say about that. Check out here. But whether or not that turns out to be anything still leaves me questioning my own short term self-reliance preps.

Water- if the electricity goes, so does the ability to pump water.  Best to have some stored or at least have the bath tub filled if a bad storm is coming.  For long term, we have a creek that we can get water from.  Of course we'd have to boil and filter it.

Food- Even if you have a filled pantry, how are you going to cook it?  We are blessed with two wood stoves.  They aren't cook stoves but in a pinch we can throw our cast iron cookware in or on top of.  We could also cook outside if need be.

Heat- We have wood stoves and woods on the property.  We'd use the seal off the room technique. We never throw away blankets.  We have tons.

Light- We have lots of candles, matches, oil lamps, flash lights. etc. (Don't forget batteries)

We have a septic system... as long as we have some access to water we can still flush.  What would a person hooked up to city sewer do?  Best have a bucket and shovel on hand.  A stock pile of tp would be good too although rags, paper or leaves are available.

Also good to have on hand: basic tools, can opener (non-electric), first aid kit, battery or crank radio, needle and thread, paper and pen, fire extinguisher, and some way to entertain the troops.

On one of the prepper blogs I was reading it was predicted that without power in 90 days 90% of the population would die.  I don't know if that is accurate or not but if we were left alone I think we could make it 90 days.  I don't dwell on these things but I think it is common sense to at least ponder some simple preparedness.  You never know what weather is going to come your way.

What are your self-reliant plans? Do you prep?