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CaboSur
Nomad
Posts: 108
Registered: 9-10-2014
Location: San Jose del Cabo
Member Is Offline
Mood: Irrelevant
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Thinking of becoming a PREPPER here in the Baja.
Would Baja be a good PREPPER location ?
Possible catastrophic events in the Baja, hurricanes, earthquakes solar flares destroying all power transformers
and communications, etc.
After surviving Odile i have been thinking of the possibility of becoming a Prepper here in the Baja.
It was quite an eye opener after Odile to see how so many people were totally unprepared for a
major catastrophic event.
At daylight the morning after Odile all my neighbors were out walking the streets in total dismay with the amount of
destruction. Everyone was very considerate asking each other if they needed food
water or any help. Several had lost their tinacos and had no water for bathing and very little water to drink.
First I am not a fearmonger, just my first hand observations from San Jose del Cabo.
Two days after the hurricane the vandalism spread into the neighborhoods with cars windows being broken
and homes being robbed. Four days passed before the federal police patrols were started with the
mayor being missing in action with civil disobedience becoming widespread. Several neighborhoods set up wooden barricades at the ends of the
streets and set them on fire at night and had groups with flashlights patrolling the streets.
It doesn't matter where you live, without any offical authority civil disobedience can become out of control.
Here in the Baja or Ferguson, Missouri.
This is my preliminary idea,
1. Would it be feasible to build a basement to store provisions, never have seen one here.
2. Water being the most important commodity could be stored in underground tinacos.
3. Probably would be advisable living close to the beach where there is an unlimited supply of seafood available for when the canned goods run
out.
4. Firearms not likely, but would be very helpful in self defense.
5. Climate is not a problem no cold winters.
6. For cooking a large propane tank ? since very little firewood is available.
Thoughts ?
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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i know a couple guys who have gone overboard. i keep telling them if the end never happens in their lifetime they sure wasted a bunch of time and
money. keep in mind your neighbors will soon find out you have a bunch of supplies (after the asteroid impact) and will soon come liberate it from
you!
after the worst hurricane on record, if it was me, i'd have water on hand in the future.
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Full Time Residents
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| Quote: | Originally posted by CaboSur
This is my preliminary idea,
1. Would it be feasible to build a basement to store provisions, never have seen one here.
Basements are a bad idea...they flood...lots of water in a hurricane
2. Water being the most important commodity could be stored in underground tinacos.
my tanks are underground...BIG mistake on my part...concrete cracks and water can be contaminated
and plastic tanks break...you need to be able to replace them
3. Probably would be advisable living close to the beach where there is an unlimited supply of seafood available for when the canned goods run
out.
With a hurricane...the water "run-off" contaminates the sea for awhile...don't eat the fish for awhile
4. Firearms not likely, but would be very helpful in self defense.
Get caught with a firearm and go to prison
5. Climate is not a problem no cold winters.
I'm wearing a jacket every morning...its COLD
6. For cooking a large propane tank ? since very little firewood is available.
BIG propane tanks are expensive to fill...$$$
If you get a leak you lose ALOT of money and in disasters pipes can break.
It's much better to have a few "smaller" propane tanks you can control
Thoughts ? |
I think you should "re-think" your planning BEFORE you become a "professional prepper"
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Being able to sustain yourself for 3 - 5 days during/after a man caused or nature caused catastrophic event is not being paranoid, it is common sense
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J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
Mood: Easy Does It
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preparer
I grew up in Tornado Alley in the Panhandle of Texas and lived a good part of my adult life on the Gulf coast. Sever weather is no stranger to me as
far as Hurricanes go the best plan in my mind is to keep a full tank of gasoline in your vehicle so you can get OUT of Dodge. The heck with personal
possessions they can be replaced.
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danaeb
Senior Nomad
Posts: 991
Registered: 11-13-2006
Location: San Diego; El Centenario
Member Is Offline
Mood: groovy
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What a weird coincidence. At about 8:am here in San Diego, I was just about to post my observations, post-Odile, for the things that would have made
life much easier during the aftermath. Get a generator! Unfortunately, just as I was about to type this, San Diego experienced a major power outage.
Power was just restored...
On edit, I have a question. What size generator would be enough to power a small refrigerator, a lamp and a fan? That would have made a huge
difference to me in the week after Odile.
[Edited on 11-15-2014 by danaeb]
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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KaceyJ
Nomad
Posts: 401
Registered: 10-7-2011
Location: there
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danaeb
We use a honda 2000 and it will easily power a couple of fridges , plus a small fan and a couple of lights. It is lightweight and fairly quiet and
will run most of the night on a tank of fuel
The problem with generators is keeping the fuel system clean so it runs when you need it to and the storage of the fuel
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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Like KaseyJ states it's important to have a generator ready to go in an emergency. Gas powered ones ,like boats when not frequently used , tend to gum
up, even if you run the carb supposedly dry. I know this from experience.
For the next season I'll be looking for a propane powered unit. Cost about the same to run and only slightly more expensive then gas powered ones.
For pricing check Amazon and Price Machine.
I'm looking at 6 to 7 KW units priced below $ 800.00
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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fuel in Mex doesn't have ethanol which is the culprit. i left my mower sit for 3 months and needed to clean the carb because of the fuel here, even
with Stabil it doesn't matter. the generator in Baja sits for 6 months and fires right up with Stabil.
also, look at all of the gas sitting in your vehicle gas tanks that could be siphoned in an emergency. i try to keep my tank above 1/2 at all times.
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bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
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"This is my preliminary idea,
1. Would it be feasible to build a basement to store provisions, never have seen one here.
2. Water being the most important commodity could be stored in underground tinacos.
3. Probably would be advisable living close to the beach where there is an unlimited supply of seafood available for when the canned goods run out.
4. Firearms not likely, but would be very helpful in self defense.
5. Climate is not a problem no cold winters.
6. For cooking a large propane tank ? since very little firewood is available."
1. Block buildings are how it's done here, with a steel door. You still need to protect it too, though.
2. Underground tinacas have to be pumped up rather than gravity-fed. More power needed.
3. Close to the beach, heard of 'storm-surge'? Notice how many days it took for the surf to subside enough to glean anything left to eat? Everyone
going to live there, or is that just for you?
4. Self-defense is mandated by Mexican law of what you can, and cannot do. Good neighborhood planning worked; finally.
5. Mute point.
6. You can own as many large cylindrical propane tanks as you like, store them in your blockhouse. Having a portable 'Partners' camp stove on hand
would be wise, with blaster for heating large quantities of water (a 2-3 gallon galv. bucket for wash/rinse). Also pre-stock a few gallons of Clorox
as well as LOTS of bottled water. Buy at start of hurricane season, drink it all the rest of the year. Generator a must.
Far's becoming a "PREPPER", rotsa ruck. Looking to be a 'professional' one? Even mas suerte. Having your own chit together?...... Priceless.
Downside: the more you own, the more you can lose or have taken from you. That's a given, some places more than others. Remember the '6 - "P"s'....
Prior Planning Prevents Pizz Poor Performance.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
Being able to sustain yourself for 3 - 5 days during/after a man caused or nature caused catastrophic event is not being paranoid, it is common sense
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words of wisdom for sure!
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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While we applaud you for your good intentions, you may be preaching to the choir on this subject. Lots and lots of us have built homes in Baja and
exercised some common sense in providing for natural and unnatural disasters. Long ago we built stone & cement cisterns to hold a huge quantity
of emergency water, airtight storerooms for food and supplies, kept propane tanks filled (large and small), made sure there were no firearms on the
property but lots of machetes and dogteeth, solar power, and of course, that all-important tool...a good back-up generator.
AND...a dependable mechanic to keep it in maximum shape while drinking a minimum of Pacifico.
Good idea and keep thinking!
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1499
Registered: 8-11-2008
Location: BoLA
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by danaeb
What a weird coincidence. At about 8:am here in San Diego, I was just about to post my observations, post-Odile, for the things that would have made
life much easier during the aftermath. Get a generator! Unfortunately, just as I was about to type this, San Diego experienced a major power outage.
Power was just restored...
On edit, I have a question. What size generator would be enough to power a small refrigerator, a lamp and a fan? That would have made a huge
difference to me in the week after Odile.
[Edited on 11-15-2014 by danaeb] |
daneab
I agree with the Honda 2000 suggestion. what I have found with mine is that it is difficult to run the fuel out of the carburetor. So what I do is
open the side cover of the generator and drain the carb float bowl manually using the small drain screw at the bottom of the carb. Also make sure the
vent is closed on the fuel cap so the fuel will not evaporate out. My gen sat for over a year, but with just a few pulls on the starter rope to get
the fuel up to the carb it started and ran fine. Stabil is also a good idea to add to the fuel tank on generators that will be sitting for long
periods of time.
Hope this helps
Larry
Off grid, 12-190 watt evergreen solar panels on solar trackers, 2-3648 stacked Outback inverters, 610ah LiFePo4 48v battery bank, FM 60 and MX60
Outback charge controllers, X-240 Outback transformer for 240v from inverters, 6500 watt Kubota diesel generator.
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desertcpl
Super Nomad
Posts: 2405
Registered: 10-26-2008
Location: yuma,az
Member Is Offline
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my take on this
would Baja be a good place for a Prepper
I would say no,,, when you start some thing like this all the locals will know where to go. it might not be so safe
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Gulliver
Senior Nomad
Posts: 651
Registered: 11-18-2013
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I have spent most of my life in places where there were extreme weather events. Mostly wind storms and/or blizzards and ice storms causing extended
power outages.
Generators and full vehicle tanks are certainly very important. But far, far more important is being good friends with your neighbors. You don't have
to worry about break-ins and theft and such when you have a community.
As far as the bunker mentality thing, I remember two friends having a discussion of such things and one guy was focussed on weapons. His buddy said,
"You'd shoot someone over a bucket of carrots?"
We all had a good laugh over that one.
If you are afraid of your neighbors maybe you need to move!
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mexicali-kid
Junior Nomad
Posts: 44
Registered: 4-28-2014
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by desertcpl
my take on this
would Baja be a good place for a Prepper
I would say no,,, when you start some thing like this all the locals will know where to go. it might not be so safe |
I agree, any lights on in your house after a disaster will be a beacon to attract the hoi poloi.
If you are going to be a prepper, keep a low profile. No generators running.
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Gulliver
Senior Nomad
Posts: 651
Registered: 11-18-2013
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I've got a neighbor here moving dirt for me for about $4 an hour. One of the first things I will do if the power stays off is run some extension cords
over to his house so that his food doesn't spoil.
With the attitudes I'm hearing on here you probably will have problems. Are you living in some enemy camp or something? Wow!
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Martyman
Super Nomad
Posts: 1904
Registered: 9-10-2004
Member Is Offline
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oh... a prepper. I see.
I thought you were going to start wearing blue and pink plaid shorts and have an alligator on your golf shirt.
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gettin' Better
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Having supplies for a few days makes sense ....having power source if off the grid makes sense....the rest of the "prepper" thing just seems a bit
over the edge.
But, some folks are just hanging around that edge I suppose.
It makes for very mediocre "reality TV" that is boring after 20 minutes....
Each to their own.
Don't believe everything you think....
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bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
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One very poignant thought comes to mind:
"No Good Deed Goes Unpunished". 
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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