Emergency preparedness for apartment/condo dwellers

[Tradd]

I've put the following together over the past 3-4 years. So much of what's out there on emergency preparedness takes for granted that you have an outdoor space of some sort to use a grill or camping stove safely, space to run a generator, a garage/shed to store propane or kerosene for a space heater. Many urban/suburban apartment/condo dwellers have none of these things. This is exactly my situation.

I rent a small 1-bedroom condo, first floor, in an apartment-style building (unit entrances off a common hallway), with no balcony or patio.

Cooking in an emergency was really my most vexing issue, since the usual camping stoves cannot be used safely indoors. I have an electric stove. If I had a gas stove, I would just light the burners with a match. After some research, I hit upon Sterno. Yep, the same stuff you see keeping food hot at banquets and parties. It's a gelled alcohol product. Safe for use inside, safe to store. There's a little folding metal stove to get to use with the Sterno. I can fit a 2qt stainless steel saucepan (from my usual pots, not a thin camping one) on it easily. I can boil two cups (16 oz) of water in about 9 minutes. It will heat up a can of soup, ravioli, or stew in about the same time. I put it on top of one of the burners on my glass-topped electric range, so I don't have to worry about melting the countertop.

Sterno isn't for actual cooking, it's for heating things up. So, water and canned goods. Get some sort of thermal carafe to keep water hot for future use after boiling. A good thermal mug for keeping your hot beverage hot for a long time is good. I got this one at Target. At $20 it's not cheap, but it keeps my tea hot for at least 8 hours, plus it can go in the dishwasher (lots of thermal mugs can't).

http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Stainl...nd+thermal+mug

Sterno stove (you can get it cheaper locally at Walmart, about $7):
http://www.amazon.com/Sterno-Single-...s=sterno+stove

Sterno fuel 2 pk (cheaper at Walmart or other stores locally, $5):
http://www.amazon.com/Sterno-7-Ounce...W6XTF0NNR64PZR

Since you don't need to light a huge space, this Coleman Micropacker LED mini lantern is great. It's enough light to read or write by. It takes 3 AA batteries. I have one, want to have a spare. $10
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-MicroP...attery+lantern

If you have older battery lanterns, you might want to consider getting an LED one. They are much more power efficient.

I've found that the flameless LED tea lights available everywhere are great for leaving in the bathroom if you want to have some sort of light overnight.

Headlamps are great for doing things hands-free or even for reading. Check out your local Target/Walmart in the flashlight section. The Energizer brand ones that take 3 AAA batteries are good enough for this use, about $12.

I like having a hand crank flashlight, too. This one is excellent. I got mine at Target - $10.
http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-Weat...ank+flashlight

I have both a battery-operated radio (2 AA) that's about 9 years old from LL Bean that's my everyday radio. You can get a small radio like this for about $10 at Walmart.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-ICF-S10MK...words=am+radio

I like having a hand crank radio, as well (I like listening to the AM all news station). You can go to Walmart or Target and there are a number to choose from, or check out Amazon.

For summer, there are a number of battery-operated fans.

Unfortunately, there are no non-fuel heater options in the winter. The best idea I've heard is: under a heavy comforter or in a sleeping bag, use a Nagalene bottle filled with very hot water and closed tightly. Use as a hot water bottle.

Something else to think about is how to charge your phone, especially if it's a smartphone (news via the web). This was a major issue for people when Hurricane Sandy hit. There are any number of small battery backups you can get, which can charge your device up to 4-5 times. I just ordered this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

One important bit I took away from reading about the experiences of people during Sandy: one blogger commented that most people she knew used their laptops to watch movies until the battery went dead. She figured out the laptop was more valuable as a way to charge her phone. You might want to fully charge laptop, and with a phone charge down around perhaps 30%, see how long it takes to charge your phone, and if you can get a full charge off laptop.

For longer term use, you might consider this:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KIXSXWQ?psc=1

There are other battery-powered car jump starts that even have 110V electrical outlets, as well as a USB port or two, on them. You can get those at the big box home improvement stores. Prices seem to be around $75-$150, depending on how much capacity you want.

And of course, you want not electrical entertainment - books, games, etc. I do keep a fully charged Kindle Paperwhite, but I also have a number of paper books. I loved Solitaire as a kid, but I've played it for so long as a computer game, I'd forgotten how to play it using actual cards. I got a pack of cards and relearned how to play it "manually."

I also stocked up on toilet paper, paper towels, toiletries, OTC meds (preferred pain medicine, Immodium, allergy meds), in addition to canned goods and water. I've got the toiletries and paper products stored under my bed. Other items are in a plastic tub in the closet.

As I've learned, don't advertise what you have in the way of "preps." Depending on your neighborhood (especially if you're urban), if the power outage was long enough, folks might decide to help themselves to what you've got, hurting you in the process. I'm prepared to defend myself (two 9mm pistols, concealed carry permit, and a good amount of training including the legalities of self-defense), but many people are uncomfortable with that.

Just thought I'd share what I've learned over the past few years, as I know other apartment dwellers who think they can't do anything since they're apartment dwellers. There's much more you can do than you think. Storage space might get to be an issue, but you can get creative (hence, the under bed storage).

[Tiam]

I've put the following together over the past 3-4 years. So much of what's out there on emergency preparedness takes for granted that you have an outdoor space of some sort to use a grill or camping stove safely, space to run a generator, a garage/shed to store propane or kerosene for a space heater. Many urban/suburban apartment/condo dwellers have none of these things. This is exactly my situation.

I rent a small 1-bedroom condo, first floor, in an apartment-style building (unit entrances off a common hallway), with no balcony or patio.

Cooking in an emergency was really my most vexing issue, since the usual camping stoves cannot be used safely indoors. I have an electric stove. If I had a gas stove, I would just light the burners with a match. After some research, I hit upon Sterno. Yep, the same stuff you see keeping food hot at banquets and parties. It's a gelled alcohol product. Safe for use inside, safe to store. There's a little folding metal stove to get to use with the Sterno. I can fit a 2qt stainless steel saucepan (from my usual pots, not a thin camping one) on it easily. I can boil two cups (16 oz) of water in about 9 minutes. It will heat up a can of soup, ravioli, or stew in about the same time. I put it on top of one of the burners on my glass-topped electric range, so I don't have to worry about melting the countertop.

Sterno isn't for actual cooking, it's for heating things up. So, water and canned goods. Get some sort of thermal carafe to keep water hot for future use after boiling. A good thermal mug for keeping your hot beverage hot for a long time is good. I got this one at Target. At $20 it's not cheap, but it keeps my tea hot for at least 8 hours, plus it can go in the dishwasher (lots of thermal mugs can't).

http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Stainl...nd+thermal+mug

Sterno stove (you can get it cheaper locally at Walmart, about $7):
http://www.amazon.com/Sterno-Single-...s=sterno+stove

Sterno fuel 2 pk (cheaper at Walmart or other stores locally, $5):
http://www.amazon.com/Sterno-7-Ounce...W6XTF0NNR64PZR

Since you don't need to light a huge space, this Coleman Micropacker LED mini lantern is great. It's enough light to read or write by. It takes 3 AA batteries. I have one, want to have a spare. $10
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-MicroP...attery+lantern

If you have older battery lanterns, you might want to consider getting an LED one. They are much more power efficient.

I've found that the flameless LED tea lights available everywhere are great for leaving in the bathroom if you want to have some sort of light overnight.

Headlamps are great for doing things hands-free or even for reading. Check out your local Target/Walmart in the flashlight section. The Energizer brand ones that take 3 AAA batteries are good enough for this use, about $12.

I like having a hand crank flashlight, too. This one is excellent. I got mine at Target - $10.
http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-Weat...ank+flashlight

I have both a battery-operated radio (2 AA) that's about 9 years old from LL Bean that's my everyday radio. You can get a small radio like this for about $10 at Walmart.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-ICF-S10MK...words=am+radio

I like having a hand crank radio, as well (I like listening to the AM all news station). You can go to Walmart or Target and there are a number to choose from, or check out Amazon.

For summer, there are a number of battery-operated fans.

Unfortunately, there are no non-fuel heater options in the winter. The best idea I've heard is: under a heavy comforter or in a sleeping bag, use a Nagalene bottle filled with very hot water and closed tightly. Use as a hot water bottle.

Something else to think about is how to charge your phone, especially if it's a smartphone (news via the web). This was a major issue for people when Hurricane Sandy hit. There are any number of small battery backups you can get, which can charge your device up to 4-5 times. I just ordered this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

One important bit I took away from reading about the experiences of people during Sandy: one blogger commented that most people she knew used their laptops to watch movies until the battery went dead. She figured out the laptop was more valuable as a way to charge her laptop. You might want to fully charge laptop, and with a phone charge down around perhaps 30%, see how long it takes to charge your phone, and if you can get a full charge off laptop.

For longer term use, you might consider this:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KIXSXWQ?psc=1

There are other battery-powered car jump starts that even have 110V electrical outlets, as well as a USB port or two, on them. You can get those at the big box home improvement stores. Prices seem to be around $75-$150, depending on how much capacity you want.

And of course, you want not electrical entertainment - books, games, etc. I do keep a fully charged Kindle Paperwhite, but I also have a number of paper books. I loved Solitaire as a kid, but I've played it for so long as a computer game, I'd forgotten how to play it using actual cards. I got a pack of cards and relearned how to play it "manually."

I also stocked up on toilet paper, paper towels, toiletries, OTC meds (preferred pain medicine, Immodium, allergy meds), in addition to canned goods and water. I've got the toiletries and paper products stored under my bed. Other items are in a plastic tub in the closet.

As I've learned, don't advertise what you have in the way of "preps." Depending on your neighborhood (especially if you're urban), if the power outage was long enough, folks might decide to help themselves to what you've got, hurting you in the process. I'm prepared to defend myself (two 9mm pistols, concealed carry permit, and a good amount of training including the legalities of self-defense), but many people are uncomfortable with that.

Just thought I'd share what I've learned over the past few years, as I know other apartment dwellers who think they can't do anything since they're apartment dwellers. There's much more you can do than you think. Storage space might get to be an issue, but you can get creative (hence, the under bed storage).

I agree that most preppers seem to assume access to certain things, like storage and the outdoors, but it does sound like you are creatively thinking about it.

For a while I got up to about two weeks of preparedness. Now, I'd say I'm about 3 days for a couple of people with a frugal approach.

[Tradd]

I agree that most preppers seem to assume access to certain things, like storage and the outdoors, but it does sound like you are creatively thinking about it.

For a while I got up to about two weeks of preparedness. Now, I'd say I'm about 3 days for a couple of people with a frugal approach.

$5-$10 a week or paycheck can slowly add up. I didn't get all of this overnight. Amazon shows I bought the Sterno stove in 2010. The thermal mug and battery-operated radio are used daily, although I do use the hand crank radio a lot, as I like to see how long I can listen after a good cranking session. I'd eat the soups and such (I buy the ready to eat, no water needed ones mostly) anyway. It's nice to not have to haul shopping bags of canned goods when my parking lot is icy in the winter.

[bae]

Great advice Tradd!

[shadowmoss]

I would also recommend a water filter and/or water purification tablets. I have a Platypus gravity flow one that I used on the tap water in Honduras when I lived there. The water was probably ok, and I used it to wash my teeth, but if I was cooking or drinking it straight I filtered it. You can also get a pump filter (forget the actual name) that will take out everything in the water. These don't use electricity, but would make stream or 'non-potable' water safe.

[Tradd]

Great advice Tradd!

Wow, Bae, coming from you, that's a great compliment!

[lessisbest]

Great information. I'll go one smaller... Our granddaughter is attending college and we gave her a 72-hour back pack and a bucket of freeze-dried foods - enough for 2-weeks (and dorm food counts as an emergency). She can toss the 72-hour back pack in her car when she travels the 3-hours to and from home. She had a long delay on the highway coming home for fall break and she remembered the back pack and got it out and ate the freeze-dried strawberries, so I guess it was appreciated for at least one small "emergency".

We included other things in the kit like a LifeStraw portable water filter, LED light, cell-phone recharger, HotHands heating packs....

[mschrisgo2]

Tradd, what an awesome list! Thank you for sharing.

[Tradd]

Thought I’d update this a bit since technology has improved!

I have a Jackery 300 battery generator. This sort of thing is great for apartment dwellers. Solar panels are available if you have the outdoor space. I don’t.

Anker makes much better battery packs than used to be available for charging smartphones, tablets, and computers. I have several.

I have a rechargeable battery operated fan. Plenty of options on Amazon.

I need to get bottled water. For food, I get cases of Progresso or Campbell’s Chunky soup from Amazon. Cheapest place for me. I like the fruit soft breakfast bars. They keep well. I love the tuna and chicken pouches. Add some mayo/Miracle Whip and pickle relish, and you have run a or chicken salad. I eat with crackers. This is a common meal for me when I want something easy.

[Tradd]

I now have Life straw water bottle with built in filters.