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[safety-thirst]

Bugging In (Power Outage/Disaster)

the goal is to have a couple of redundancies with multi-use supplies that use a variety of fuels with overlap. so you want to have more than one item that uses lamp oil, for instance, but you want to have a secondary way to heat your room if you run out of lamp oil (like veg oil or candles). if you decide to use candles, lamp oil, AA batteries and alcohol, you’ll have a lot of options and backup options, without having to stock up on every type of fuel and power on earth, and you may also be able to use veggie oil or kerosene if you can’t find any more lamp oil.

IGNITION SOURCE

https://www.walmart.com/ip/BIC-Multi-Purpose-Lighters-Classic-Edition-1-Count-colors-may-vary/32469519 any brand (see dollar store), but Bic is probably more reliable

https://www.walmart.com/ip/BIC-Classic-Pocket-Lighter-Assorted-Colors-Pack-of-7-Lighters/941316199 Bic only, if you have a choice. they are less likely than other brands to leak in storage and stop working. 

large box of matches

barbecue matches (not ideal except as a supplement to above)

HEAT/LIGHT/COOKING

HEAT/LIGHT

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J5E62HC/ This is probably the most important thing to buy (aside from water and safety supplies), plus a brownie pan or wide glass dish to put them in (at least one pan per room). just need tall sides to prevent spilling/tipping/etc. can use a jar, etc., but you have to have a long lighter for that (which is important to have). several of these candles in a pan of some kind will warm a medium-sized room as long as there is some level of insulation from the cold and wind. they get too hot to move so you really need one in each room that you’ll be using. 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stansport-12-Hurricane-Lantern/21799095 WITH https://www.walmart.com/ip/Florasense-Lamp-Oil-64-oz-Single/16783697 this is safe to use indoors. you can use it with kerosene but it will stink and give you a headache. the florasense oil is okay but it does have a smell to it. higher-quality lamp oil (like firefly brand) will cost more but have minimal odor. you can use lamp oil in simple oil lamps and liquid candles as well. e.g., https://www.walmart.com/ip/TIKI-Brand-3-5-Inch-Table-Torch-Metal-Tin-Watercolor/763901130 or https://www.walmart.com/ip/firefly-votive-size-oil-candles-are-available-in-2-oz-3-oz-and-5-oz-sizes/942196076?selected=true OR if you want a year-round functional/beautiful type of piece: https://www.etsy.com/listing/652594131/hand-blown-glass-oil-lamp . essentially you need a liquid wax/oil fuel, a wick/holder and a container with a lid and a hole in it. It’s possible you could use a veg oil lamp to warm water for oatmeal/ramen/etc., or even for washing, if you have a way to hold a pot over the lamp. if you need to switch between fuel types, you need to switch to a new wick, so you probably want to buy extras, even if they “never need to be replaced.” https://smile.amazon.com/Dlight-Online-Disposable-Plastic-Emergency/dp/B01CQDPF8A something like this if not exactly this product

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B013OC70M6/ (plus olive/veg oil and glass/ceramic dish/jar)

you can also go even more old school by making a veggie oil lamp like this one: https://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/home/make-olive-oil-lamp or google “diy olive oil lamp” to see other lamps and wick holders people have made. you can get brass or glass wick holders online and add them to mason jars, etc. there’s a  youtube video that shows how to make an olive oil (veggie oil) lamp with just a bowl, 1/4″ of olive oil in the bottom and oil-drenched cotton balls used as wicks. you could put several cotton balls in one dish.

HEAT/COOKING

https://smile.amazon.com/Lixada-Camping-Stainless-Folding-Titanium/dp/B01GRMMKKM/ plus https://www.walmart.com/ip/Klean-Strip-Denatured-Alcohol-1-Quart/23232923 OR a bottle of everclear. you can get different brands and styles of alcohol stove and pot stand, but this model is better than most of them and is one of the most versatile. you can burn sticks or wood pellets in this stove, and gel/cube fuel if you put a dish in it. the walls are hinged and fold up like an accordion when you put the stove away...many models have 4 separate wall panels and two inner panels that fit together like origami so they are hard to put together. although the simmer ring doesn’t fit inside the stove when it’s open at all

https://www.dollartree.com/fancy-heat-canned-fuel-28oz-cans/151709 fancy heat is “canned heat” like sterno. this product is designed to keep buffet trays of food warm (indoors or outdoors). it uses glycol so it’s basically an alcohol stove. you can refill it but it’s not designed for that so it’s a bit of a hassle. it’s essentially a tin can with a wick and alcohol inside. you can use it to cook if you have/make a pot stand. it puts out almost no light. this product lasts a bit over 2 hours, for $1. if you light it and put it out after 15 minutes or so you can make it last much longer. sterno is more expensive per hour and the kind in the walmart camping section has a worse lid (like a paint can lid that you put on and then hit until it stays in), but i believe it burns hotter. it can have a wick or it can just be a pot of gel that you light with a match. 

HEAT

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mr-Heater-MH9BX-9000-BTU-Propane-Portable-Buddy-Heater-MH9BX/55234301

 with 1lb propane canister or add the hose below to use larger cans of propane. you should be able to get this heater for $65 when it isn’t gouged

https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-Buddy-Hose-Assembly/dp/B001CFWF5U  

LIGHT

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NPLSZF8/ you want several ways of lighting rooms and battery lights are the safest but tend to die the quickest. most flashlights work only for several hours max. these lights are designed to work 90 hours on one set of batteries. so get a second set of batteries and you’ll be well off. 

a headlamp is a huge help and makes it so you don’t necessarily have to put a light in the bathroom or kitchen. 

SAFETY

https://smile.amazon.com/Kidde-Battery-Operated-Monoxide-KN-Copp-B-LPM/dp/B004Y6V5CI/ the display is important. CO detectors are designed not to alert until there’s a true emergency, often allowing a significant exposure. they’re designed that way to prevent repetitive false alarms that make people think every alarm is false. it’s a requirement of the safety standard. if you get a detector with a display, it will show you the CO PPM in real time, allowing you to make changes if you need to, before you have a serious health risk

https://www.walmart.com/ip/First-Alert-AF400-Tundra-Fire-Extinguishing-Aerosol-Spray-AF400/10099161

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Industrial-Bucket-Dark-Blue-5-Gallon/951754358 for fires that can be put out with water. kerosene and oil fires will likely spread if you throw water on them. fortunately veggie oil isn’t super flammable so it won’t burst into flame if it spills

WATER

1-2 gallons per human or other animal, per day, for washing AND for food. Spout makes it easier to access. Need a smaller container and filter if you have to leave home. You may not have water even in winter if your pipes freeze.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Reliance-Aqua-Tainer-Water-Container-7-Gallon/872426

https://smile.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-SP129-Filtration-Squeezable/dp/B00B1OSU4W/ plus life or smart water bottles (they fit the squeeze filter threads)