My journey to become a prepper started in 2011. Until one fateful day in July, I had mocked my beloved husband’s survivalistic tendencies. I would roll my eyes when I walked into the root cellar substitute room in our basement to grab something and had to maneuver around his buckets of long-term storage food and other preparedness gear.
My Bobby is nearly 20 years my senior and had been prepping for in one form or another since before I was old enough to drive. He was more than ready for the “Y2K bug.” Now, even though I mocked his prepper habit, I grew up country and surely had more than a few self-reliance skills under my belt – and they sure came in handy when “The Storm” hit during one of the hottest and driest summers on record in Ohio.
A storm was rolling into our region and everyone was rejoicing. It has been a long time since any rain had fallen and everyone’s garden needed it. At that time we kept our horses on a cousin’s small farm in the same rural county about 15 minutes away. The creek had run dry a week prior and we had been filling up a tank and hauling water from her home to an auxiliary pasture around the way a friend let us all use. Never before had I been so aware of how much of our lives drought-like conditions can drastically hamper.
We lived in a small town, the county seat, where my husband had been mayor and I had been serving as the editor of the weekly newspaper. We had a small garden in our backyard and a homemade rainwater collection and drip water irrigation system for it – but the barrels had long since run dry. Our corner lot was about a quarter acre, with the lot next door belonging to our family as well. We had a few more things growing there, but the home we now used as a rental that had belonged to Bobby’s grandparents, his small real estate appraisal office, and an old brick garage my father-in-law tinkered around in, took up most of the land mass.
When The Storm rolled in, it didn’t seem exceptionally fierce. I love weather that creates 95 degrees in the shade conditions and rarely ever will I tolerate the central air being run in the house – I loathe having all of the windows shut to keep fresh. But, the rain also brought a slight drop in temperature that even I begrudgingly had to admit felt nice, it has been 104 degrees for several days before the highly anticipated rain began to fall.
The pleasant rainfall soon turned to a tropical style downpour, complete with large hail, thunder, wicked and constant lightening, and then extraordinarily high winds for our Appalachian hills region. My Bobby is an office on the all-volunteer fire department that serves our county. He was already getting his shoes on when tones dropped for what would be the first of many fire calls that evening.
The high winds brought down power lines all of the tri-state area. The heavy rainfall and low visibility not only caused multiple wrecks, but took us from dry creek to flash flooding in only a couple of hours. Then the power went out. I knew how to start our little generator and went next door to get our cousin’s tweens and teens to come over so they wouldn’t be bumping around in the dark.
Because of the flooding and downed trees, Missy wouldn’t make it home from work until around midnight, and her husband Lin, was also on the fire department so he was out being a local hero with my Bobby and the other dedicated volunteers. There was so much storm damage the guys did not make it home until about 8 a.m. the next morning.
During the storm a tree fell onto our porch, crushing part of the fence, all of the patio furniture, and prematurely freeing some rescued turtles that were not due to be released back into the wild again yet. So, in the midst of the wicked lightning and hail storm, I was crashing 13 panicked turtles and putting them inside a plastic tub to keep them safe – all with teen and pre-teen girls screamin in the background. It was not a fun night…but what came next was a whole lot worse.
The power was out for more than a week pretty much everywhere within an hour’s drive. Our generator only ran on gasoline and there was no station in operation within the county. The next county over two gas stations were able to remain open, but had a $15 per vehicle per day limit on fuel policy. Now, in a rural area, most folks drove either pickup trucks or 4-wheel drive SUVs.
Gasoline was almost $4 per gallon at the time, so the $15 limit amounted to only about enough fuel to get you to the station and back – with a side trip to the open Walmart near the gas station. Folks lined up out the door to try to buy water and ice. Folks were waiting in line for a minimum of an hour before the bulk of them were told the limited supply for the day was already gone.
The village I lived in at the time only had enough water on reserve to last for three days if everyone in town used it conservatively. Once a police car was driven around and used a loud speaker to ask all residents to curtail water usage as much as possible. Fellow preppers, I imagine you can figure out what happened next…some members of the village population started filling up their tubs and every jug and bottle they had to make sure THEY had water.
The only grocery store in the county had its coolers destroyed by lightning. They used flashlights to open the store and allow residents to come get what they needed from shelves and the coolers before it all spoiled. Few people had cash in their wallets and the ATM machines were obviously not working, so the store owner wrote down what people took with paper and pen and took them on their honor they would return to pay once the lights came back on.
Members of the local Amish community were the only ones with either cash or the means to keep food from spoiling at the time, and loaded up their buggies with perishables from the store. Multiple community cookouts quickly took place at school parking lots and locals parks to share what food everyone had with others, before it could spoil.
When FEMA vouchers were finally handed out to help “victims” of the storm, the money was only available to residents on public assistance or Social Security. All of the middle class families who readily shared their food and were struggling to go by more after all of the other expenses caused by The Storm, were simply out of luck. They paid the taxes to provide those vouchers, were equally impacted by the storm, but cast aside by the government in the aftermath.
FEMA arrived to “help” three days into the summer storm disaster. They came with only a few staffers to help hand out a scant amount of water and ice, which sat melting on pallets until the local firefighters, police officers, village council members, and county commissioners rolled up their sleeves and started distributing the needed goods to the miles long line of county residents parked along the state route leading to the emergency staging area.
The FEMA staffers had failed to coordinate their efforts with local, county, or regional officials. The entire water drop quickly devolved into a state of chaos. Only one bag of ice and one case of water was allowed per vehicle. Because of the gas shortage, many people had carpooled to the emergency distribution area in the high school parking lot.
Because of the spread out area of our rural county, some people had to drive for 25 minutes, using a lot of their valuable gas, to even get to the high school. A significant number of people lived on roads that were left impassable due to The Storm, for at least a week.
Some of the country preachers were trying to pick up water for elderly members of their respective flocks that no longer drove, only to have the government workers attempt to turn them away because of the one case, one bag, per car rule none of our local officials or first responders.
The Emergency Management Agency director did not even knew anything about the strict distribution policies of FEMA, nor was he consulted about the amount of water and ice necessary to meet the basic needs of county residents.
Before tempers exploded in the boiling heat, the local guys backed down the FEMA staffers and their heartless rules and the supplies were handed out to everyone in line in a manner which best-suited the needs of our residents.
At least half of the residents in our county have well water because county water lines do not go out far enough to serve them. But without electricity, their wels would not work and only those with a manual pump or emergency bucket lowering and retrieval system, could get water.
Because it had been so hot and dry for so long, the water coming out of the tap in town, was about 65 degrees. We were all craving a cold drink of water less than 48 hours into the summer storm disaster.
My Bobby’s gasoline stockpile ran out on day four of The Storm – and so did the stockpiles used by the sheriff’s office and police department. The SO was going above and beyond to take care of the charging and refueling needs of the sick and elderly who had used various types of medical equipment at home, but even their valiant efforts fell short of fulfilling the need.
Thankfully, we were able to keep our generator running because we lived close to the county’s generator-fueled gas pump and Bobby was asked to keep the radios of first responders from various agencies charged and rotated out on an as-needed basis.
When the power came back on, well after it was projected to do so, I consented to both the turning on of the central air AND a change in lifestyle.
As soon as the cutting apart of the tree that fell and other damage clean up in the still 104 degree heat, was done, I sat down on the couch with an ice cold glass of water and simply crashed out for two whole hours and talked with Bobby about preparedness. Ironically, a Walking Dead marathon was on, Bobby liked the show but I had never watched it before.
I felt a little bit like Scarlet O’Hara when I said I was “never going to be thirsty, again.” I told Bobby I was all in on the prepper lifestyle, with one important condition. He had to agree that if/when the SHTF, I was in charge of all dealing with all of the banging at the door of people wanting in or begging for food. Living through just a short local disaster quickly made me grasp how much desperation there would be during a TEOTWAWKI scenario – and how rapidly and potentially violently it would emerge.
I would find it excruciating to turn away people we knew and cared about, and strangers with children, but I could do it. I just didn’t see my sweet Bobby being able to tell a crying mother with hungry children no to a request for a can of food. As strong as he is, in every sense of the word, he just has too much of a servant’s heart for that kind of anguish inducing situation.
Do I sound heartless? Maybe But that one can of food would not sustain the crying woman and her child for more than a single day. Giving a can of food to every crying and starving decent person would take enough food out of the mouths of our children (and now grandchildren) that they too would soon be facing the same state of hunger
After The Storm, everyone’s eyes should have opened and we all have the same opportunity to prepare. Personal finances come into play, of course, but seeds are cheap and everyone where I live has enough space to grow food in their backyards and in vertical containers.
Part of our agreement also included turning away all non-family, including friends that are like family, if they do not bring value, i.e. skills or supplies, to our bugin location. Once the terms were agreed to, I started learning new survival skills and honing the ones that I had, including getting my concealed carry permit and picking up a semi-automatic rifle for the first time. I was always a fervent supporter of the Second Amendment, but had only shot a gun a few times before in my life. I no longer go anywhere my handgun cannot go too, I pack either my lever-action Henry rifle or my AR-15 in a scabbard on my saddle and 4-wheeler.
That day in July seven years ago, while sitting in the air conditioning watching the Walking Dead marathon, we began looking for the right land to turn into a survival homesteading retreat and designing every part of the property.
In my quest to learn more about aspects of prepping that appealed to me the most and to fully engage in the cross-training of skills with Bobby, I spent a lot of time learning online. It took a couple of years, but I began writing full-time for websites and magazines on only homesteading, survival, and homeschooling topics. Still a teacher at heart, I felt a duty to try and enlighten and educate as many others, both in my community and through my writing, to become more self-reliant so they too could survive whatever may come….and not wind up on my doorstep only to be turned away.
During this time I hosted a radio show on the Prepper Broadcasting Network and appeared as a guest on many others to discuss power grid preparedness. I got to interview and become friends with a host of impressive preparedness personalities, experts, and authors, who each inspired me to learn and do more to become self-reliant.
It took us three years to find the right land. We now live on a fully-functional and almost 100 percent sustainable 56-acre survival retreat. We have expanded our prepping tribe and are helping to instill both a self-reliant mindset and skill set in our grandchildren and other young ones in our lives, from a very early age.
The world has a vast misconception about preppers and I hope I am doing my part to change that. We approach prepping from a life insurance perspective. Stockpiling supplies, skills, while living a joy-filled sustainable lifestyle. I take great pride in the fact that little by little, those we care about are making strides and showing signs that they want to be a survivor and not a statistic, when disaster, whether or large or small, strikes.
Tara Dodrill is a homesteading and survival journalist and author. She lives on a small ranch with her family in Appalachia. She has been both a host and frequent guest on preparedness radio shows. In addition to the publication of her first book, ‘Power Grid Down: How to Prepare, Survive, and Thrive after the Lights go Out’, Dodrill also travels to offer prepping tips and hands-on training and survival camps and expos.
This is a well written and interesting post. I live in Florida and have experienced power outages with tropical storms and hurricanes. In 2004 we had two major storms with 10 days of each other. I lost the contents of my refrigerator both times. I got smart and went out and bought a generator–I haven’t had to use it since. By my dh does the maintenance every year right before hurricane season. It is good knowing that if we need it, we have it.
Call it “spider sense,” maybe. In 1997, we were living in a cottage in Fayette, Maine, and used to lose power frequently, but only for a few hours at a time. A now-defunct club store was going out of business in the nearest large(r) town, and on a whim I bought a 2500w generator. Flash forward to January 1998, when a massive ice storm caused our power grid to essentially collapse. We were without power for 8 days. Though the gen had to be refueled every 2 hours, it was enough to power our Monitor kerosene heater, one lamp, and – most important to DH’s sanity – the TV set and the satellite dish box. (Not kidding – he would have gone nuts with no TV for 8 days.). Fast forward – On a whim, I decided we should go to Tractor Supply and buy a wood stove to hook up to the chimney hole in the cellar. While there, we also got some sawdust bricks to burn in it. Two weeks later, Hurricane Sandy hit. Thankfully, Maine was spared the worst of it (Vermont actually got hit harder than we did, believe it or not- they got the “dirty” side of the storm and had lots of rain and flooding), and we never lost power, but we did use the wood stove and bricks in subsequent outages. We now have a larger generator that runs on LP gas and can power most of the house. It’s saved us a few times when we’ve had outages of 2 to 3 days, including over Christmas 2014. Long and short – stuff happens. When we’ve got a blizzard bearing down on us, I try to get home from work safely – *might* have to stop at the local convenience store for a half gallon of milk (for coffee!!!) or a loaf of bread – but otherwise I know we’re prepared. Water, food, cash, TOILET PAPER, first aid, various ways to cook, fuel for the gen. Trying to get family on board with the idea. If we get nuked or Russia attacks the grid or the Yellowstone caldera blows, we’re all toast. Short of that, we can weather the storm.
We lost a really nice rural mountainside home in 2015. Moving took a while loading small loads at a time. We’re too old to load everything head high in our enclosed trailer. It was pack some, load up those boxes, then that night or the next day drive 100 miles, unload-sometimes with help. Get a nights sleep and head back for more. Sundays were pretty busy. I’m a pastor. Still we’d try to load up the truck with bricks or cinder blocks then a lighter load in the trailer for that next load. Sometimes roads were closed in snowy weather. A bed was about the last thing moved. We slept on an airmatress and a sheet of plyweed set on blocks. Furniture and boxes were scattered among the sancuarty of my old mission church I’d built on my land in 1991 and shop and shed buildings. We camped in a 1970 doublewide I’d thought we could repair. I was wrong. It had sat empty for 12 years and my stepson had vandalized it and most of the rest of the property. We painted and worked and tried but it was more than we could accomplish. That spring a set of steps fell apart and my left leg broke just above the ankle.
We loaded and hauled load after load of trash that was piled up everywhere. Finally a friend and I started tearing down a weather ruined mobile home. I injured my right arm in a fall through the floor while I was bagging trash. We kept at it. Then emergency gallbladder surgery when I almost died from an infection. Finally the trailer was down to frame and subfloor. My younger son came out and used the tractor to tear up the subfloor and then cut the frame in pieces.
I’d found a 3 year old singlewide repo and bought it. They kept it on the repo lot till we had the spot cleared and could get it moved. By then it was obvious the right arm needed repair surgery so that was done.
We started painting the newer trailer and cleaning it up. We were able to use the sewer hook up but everything else was put in new. One ditch or job at a time. Still waiting on the last ditch for the propane hookup.
To hook up electricity under all the new regulations was the same price as going full off grid solar for the home so that’s what we did. Saved until it could be done. The rocket stove with a gravity fed pellet hopper I’d purchased new and put in the doublewide was moved over with all new stove pipe. We’d used, used pipe at the older trailer. I ordered a heat activated fan to circulate heat. We put recycled wood flooring in the living room after tearing out the ruined carpet. Spring winds tore down the solar array and the insurance only paid $3000 toward replacement. Again we saved and did without and rebuilt the array but also added to it. When the mobile home is grounded we will be ready to turn the power back on. Hopefully this week. Over a year with just sometimes running an extension cord down from a shop building. Two weeks ago I bought a mini fridge and have it on the extension cord. Over 2 years without a refrigerator.
What an adventure this has been. Still not done but the home is close. I’m already gathering materials to put solar power into part of the sheds. Then aiming to eventually have the well nearest this home on solar also. Right now the well that was first drilled is on commercial power and this second well is capped but can easily be used with a winch.
There are two more residences on my land. A little home we’d built for my parents back in the 1980s that now belongs to a son who’s in the philappines, and a mobile home friends are living in. Someday I’d like to take them both solar also. The old doublewide I tried to repair sits full of boxes that I still hope to move and unpack. In December I tore a hamstring and completely tore a ligament In two. I’m finally walking pretty good. So maybe I can get the moving finished after three years. Opted against surgery so it’s been 9 slow months healing up.
Friends have set two work days to come build an 8×8 porch with steps and a ramp for us. I’ve gathered some materials and they are bringing the rest. Thank God for good friends.
As slow and hard as the last three years have been we couldn’t have survived without friends. My husband has Alzheimer’s and everything is up to me. He sits and watches me work. It didn’t used to be that way.
This week I found a good size fridge just two years old. They were in a hurry to get it moved. Cleaning up parents home and sale has closed. Pd $100. They filled up my truck with tools from yard and garden to a new in the box vise I’ve been wanting for the shop. The three gas cans from the garage are typical plastic but one is full and one little one is set up for twocycle use. I put the two ladders against a shed when we unloaded This afternoon. They will go to the bigger shop building. I was amazed at all the useable tools. Even an ax and maul.
I enjoy reading about what others are doing to prep. Glad to see folks understanding how essential being as ready for life as you can be really it.
We’ve eaten homecanned fruits and veggies, things bought at case price et for the last three years saving money to move, make repairs and twice paying thousands of dollars for solar power. Having all that on hand made it possible to do what we’ve done. We could probably get another year out of what’s on hand with some careful planning. Now I’m trying to add back some. It sure will be nice having a fridge again. Next will be to get my washing machine moved down from the shop. I’ve been Washing laundry with a toilet plunger in a 5 gallon bucket. I hope the machine still works after sitting for three years.
Ps. Friends gave us a 1400w generator that has come in handy when we needed power for tools et while essentially living without power for most of 2 years. I also bought a used 9k generator at a moving sale. It is able to run the well and keep water on when the power is off to that part of the property.
Glad to have the back up when needed.