Are you stocking up for the Bird flu?

I was thinking of the panic that set in just before the millinium.
Lots of people stocked up on food, water, batteries and all kinds of things.
A friend of mine bought 3 gas generators. all of course for nothing.

However, is this time the real thing? Maybe not just crying wolf.
My question is, how many of you are stocking up on things and what are they?
I live on a farmette (small farm) and am thinking of planting and jarring things.
On the other hand, I think I'll just have a great big lawn.
I am curious, what ya doin?

Why is this the the Paranormal forum? Unless you are talking about stocking up on hard to get spell supplies like gum tracacanth or european NS.

I aint stockin nothin. When and if this thing gets bad..im grabbin some blades maybe a gun, my hoodie and ski mask, and robbin every store there is.

This bird flu thing is a little late..it was supposed to break out last year...but seems like it could get semi serious... i dont have the dough to spend stockin up stuff just to be like "what if?" so yeah ill just steal whatever i need when the time is right!

Absolutely. The bird flu is only one of a number of possible events that could occur at any moment. You have to be a fool to not be prepared. I'm a child of the Cold War. We always had supplies stockpiled. My dad was in the military at the time and he was adamant about it.

The events around Katrina were a wake-up call. You can't count on the government. Any major disruption (bird flu, terrorist act, economic collapse, earthquake, etc.) and the stores will be emptied of anything useful in a matter of hours. Just getting anywhere will become nearly impossible very, very quickly. During the Storm of '78 I was living in an area hard hit. My friends and I hiked 3 miles to a grocery store once the storm let up. The roads were undriveable. When we got there it was emptied of all staples. Milk, bread, eggs, prepared meals, most canned goods, water... all gone. And this was a LARGE grocery chain. It was several days before the store could get trucks in with new stock. And this was only a blizzard. Imagine the situation if the event was more widespread and lasted a few weeks --- or longer.

There are always people who spout Spawwwn's POV: I'll get a gun and go get what I need. Notwithstanding the testosterone-fueled bravado of such a statement there are a few problems with that plan:

First, history shows us that the most important commodities, the survival essentials, disappear within hours.

Second, travel (to and from the stores) quickly becomes next to impossible because of official travel restrictions, huge traffic volumes of like-minded last minute shoppers and diminishing availability of gas.

Third, even if you were able to find supplies, acquiring them by force limits the quantities you can carry and transport. We're talking about the need for weeks of supplies here. How much water can you carry brandishing your pistola?

Fourth, you'll be competing for supplies with large numbers of equally panicked and similarly armed individuals.

Fifth, those of us who have planned ahead and are supplied know that there is a chance that people like you will want our stuff. You'll need to travel to find us of course, again picking your way through lots of panicked people who want your stuff, and if you do happen to locate us you'll find people significantly better armed than you are and at a distinct advantage.

Times are scarier and more unpredictable now than at any time in my lifetime --- I'm 54 and a child of the Cold War, Cuban Missle Crisis, duck and cover days. I know from whence I speak. It is only prudent for everyone to have a survival plan and stockpile the essentials.

Start Here

There's alot to think about and when the poop-hits-the-fan there simply won't be time. Do it now. A little bit at a time. But do it now. You'll be so sorry if you don't and something happens.


[edit on 24-5-2006 by jtma508]

Stock up? Ha ha ha...I'm lucky i can stock up food for the week, with the expense involved in daily living!

I suppose i could go to Walmart and buy a case of Spam, crackers and bottled water. That's about it.

I take meds and that sets me back $$$$$ every month. If something happens, i'll be banging at the neighbors for food in all probability.

I am curious, what ya doin?

Nothing special for the bird flu. We do have to deal with the occasional hurricaine.

When Isabell came through we were without power for almost 2 weeks.

I do have 2 generators (I use them for work as well so they are not solely for my survival gear).

Around 50 gallons of gas (for the generators or for use in vehicles).

Food and water for at least a month.

Numerous other essentials in the survival gear (yes duct tape and plastic are included).

No I'm not paranoid, I just like to be prepared. I don't plan on the government being there to take care of me or my family.






Also

You have voted jtma508 for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have two more votes this month.

Excellent post!

Originally posted by dgtempe
Stock up? Ha ha ha...I'm lucky i can stock up food for the week, with the expense involved in daily living!

I suppose i could go to Walmart and buy a case of Spam, crackers and bottled water. That's about it.

While a case of spam may not be the most extravagant of things to stock up on your idea is actually the right way to go about it -- buy a little at a time each week and before you know it you will have a few weeks saved up. Then keep it up until you have a month or more saved. You should plan for hurricanes there at the very least.

Why?
IMO this "bird flu" scare is the biggest non story I have ever seen.
[B]IF[/B] It mutates into a form which is capable of Human to Human transmisssion it could become a pandemic.
How is that anymore of a story than "if an 35 square mile asteroid were on a collsion course with earth we could be in big trouble"?

Why?

Why not? If you're not prepared and the virus mutate's you're bummin'. If you are prepared and it doesn't mutate no loss.

How is that anymore of a story than "if an 35 square mile asteroid were on a collsion course with earth we could be in big trouble"?

An asteroid that big would be the End. You wouldn't need to worry about survival.

I agree with jtma508. It may not be the bird flu and it may not be for months, but I believe in being prepared for several evantualities that I feel may be coming down the pike in the next year.

We could probably live for 3 months without leaving our property and we probably have enough food to last us longer. Lots of beans and rice.

We also have a garden and a generator and we're getting solar for the house starting next week.

I'm not sure if this is a complete list, but here's most of what I have stockpiled. Some is for personal use and some is for trade. And my husband says if we end up not needing the alcohol for trade, he can drink it.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

We even have some

I hope the bird flu doesn't happen around here at all, but just in case, I am already stocked up on some things. I had a bad moment after a few hurricanes. And you better believe it when they say the shelves and gas pumps will be empty before, during, and after a crisis or disaster, because it's true...
I already save lots of water at home because of doing without it for almost 2 weeks during the hurricanes in 2004, since the electric was off and the pump runs off electric.
I have about 50 gallons of water saved already, and everytime a milk jug or a 2 liter bottle empties, I clean it and put water in it, and since our water is treated, it will last for a long while.
I would rather stock my water up here instead of having to go miles away and stand in line to get it again, or going to a store that runs off city water and stealing water from their water spickets.
I just need to work on stocking up on food. I am in the same boat as dgtempe, I can barley get enough food for the week! lol I need to think of the cheapest and easiest to prepare food. I have some ideas, like lots of canned food, but since I have 2 kids, the food usually gets eaten sooner or later, lol
I already have everything else I would need to survive (except food) for a while, all packed inside 3 backpacks. I did all this because of what I saw those people doing without during Hurricane Katrina, and I learned my lesson after the last hurricane here.
I even have my one pup tent ready to go, lol and plenty of medicines and first aide kits and utensils, and everythign else I would need to survive in the woods with nothing.
Anyone know of a cheap, easy to prepare food to survive on that could be stocked, and preferably not so appealing so it won't get eaten rite away? Spam sounds like a good idea since we don't like it much, but would eat it if we were hungry enough, lol








[edit on 27-5-2006 by SonyaChristina]



[edit on 27-5-2006 by SonyaChristina]

MRE's (military ration's) would be right up that alley. Don't want to eat unless you have to! They're fairly light for travel and lot's of calorie's. Any freeze dried food's for camping, etc. Cost can be prohibitive unless you find a bulk source of some kind. My $.02.

Originally posted by Skibum

Nothing special for the bird flu. We do have to deal with the occasional hurricaine.

When Isabell came through we were without power for almost 2 weeks.

Amen, I live in New Orleans, and especially after Katrina, I am prepared at all times. Power can still go out here quickly without notice in my neighborhood, so I stay stocked up on supplies.

My friends laugh at me, saying that I look like I'm ready for WWIII. I like that, lets me know that I'm adequately stocked (they didn't stay behind for Katrina's aftermath like I did).