3 ms·

There's two elements of prep work that anybody can and should do: 1. The cheap stuff that you may never use, but if you don't, isn't that big a deal: First aid

by jerf 7y ago

There's two elements of prep work that anybody can and should do: 1. The cheap stuff that you may never use, but if you don't, isn't that big a deal: First aid kits, a supply of disinfectant, masks if it isn't already too late for that, etc. 2. Stuff you're going to buy anyhow, like canned food you already use, stuff you can easily freeze in advance without it being too big a deal, etc., that, again, you would have used anyhow. This is just pulling purchases forward rather than spending new money. After all, just because COVID-19 may in fact end up contained doesn't mean you're not going to be in a serious earthquake next week or something. Having this stuff widely distributed greatly increases the resiliency of society against all sorts of issues, means you'll be one less person draining valuable resources in case of some disaster, etc. Being at least a bit prepped is the socially responsible thing to do. Also, don't forget some of the specialized things for an extended in-home stay, which a lot of prep lists don't necessarily focus on (as a lot of them are assuming the problem is that you don't have a home anymore): Toilet paper, paper towels, salt & spices, etc. Anything you don't want to have to suddenly run out and get.

Seenso 7y ago
> masks if it isn't already too late for that, etc. I don't know about surgical masks, but N95 respirators have been nearly totally sold out at retailers for a couple weeks. I know there are questions abut the use of N95 respirators to prevent infection when used by nonprofessionals, but they seem more widely available to consumers (at hardware stores) compared to surgical masks, due to their use in construction.
- cpascal 7y ago
  I went to a paint supply store and they had a good number of N95's in stock.
  - Seenso 7y ago
    > I went to a paint supply store and they had a good number of N95's in stock. What store was that? I just called my local Sherman Williams, and they're sold out. Was it a store that's little known to consumers? Personally, I managed to buy about 40 3M respirators about two weeks ago (shipped most to relatives in China). I've been keeping an eye on the stock at Home Depot ever since during my normal shipping, and they're totally picked clean at this point.
    - cpascal 7y ago
      It was a Benjamin Moore store. I must've been lucky.
  - justforyou 7y ago
    http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/601997O/respirator-comparisons-medical-health-care-vs-industrial-use.pdf http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/601997O/respirator-compar...
allovernow 7y ago
>The cheap stuff that you may never use, but if you don't, isn't that big a deal Not a bad idea to stock up on rice and beans. The proteins in rice and beans are individually to incomplete but together are sufficient for long term survival, and they're cheap and last for years if kept in a cool damp pantry. On a developer's salary you really don't have an excuse not to spend a couple hundred dollars on months worth of emergency food that will keep you (and possibly your community) prepared for years. Don't forget that such preparations are for any unforseeable future event. It's just good to do if you have the space and cash.
- allovernow 7y ago
  Can't edit now but it should read "cool, dry pantry", not damp.
mindcrime 7y ago
There's two elements of prep work that anybody can and should do: 1. The cheap stuff that you may never use, but if you don't, isn't that big a deal: First aid kits, a supply of disinfectant, masks if it isn't already too late for that, etc. 2. Stuff you're going to buy anyhow, like canned food you already use, stuff you can easily freeze in advance without it being too big a deal, etc., that, again, you would have used anyhow. This is just pulling purchases forward rather than spending new money. I whole-heartedly second this. I'm reluctant to describe myself as "a prepper" because some of the connotations of that term get pretty "out there" (see the "Doomsday Preppers" show for example), but a certain measure of preparedness is a Good Thing. And there are plenty of very realistic situations that could come to pass, where that preparedness would be beneficial, without reaching into the realm of EMP attacks, etc. Natural disasters of all sorts (growing up in the Southeast, hurricanes are something I've had quite a bit of experience with), pandemics, global supply chain disruptions (caused by any number of thins, possibly including the aforementioned pandemic) and so on, are all real things.

by jerf 7y ago

Seenso 7y ago

> masks if it isn't already too late for that, etc. I don't know about surgical masks, but N95 respirators have been nearly totally sold out at retailers for a couple weeks. I know there are questions abut the use of N95 respirators to prevent infection when used by nonprofessionals, but they seem more widely available to consumers (at hardware stores) compared to surgical masks, due to their use in construction.

cpascal 7y ago
I went to a paint supply store and they had a good number of N95's in stock.
- Seenso 7y ago
  > I went to a paint supply store and they had a good number of N95's in stock. What store was that? I just called my local Sherman Williams, and they're sold out. Was it a store that's little known to consumers? Personally, I managed to buy about 40 3M respirators about two weeks ago (shipped most to relatives in China). I've been keeping an eye on the stock at Home Depot ever since during my normal shipping, and they're totally picked clean at this point.
  - cpascal 7y ago
    It was a Benjamin Moore store. I must've been lucky.
- justforyou 7y ago
  http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/601997O/respirator-comparisons-medical-health-care-vs-industrial-use.pdf http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/601997O/respirator-compar...

allovernow 7y ago

>The cheap stuff that you may never use, but if you don't, isn't that big a deal Not a bad idea to stock up on rice and beans. The proteins in rice and beans are individually to incomplete but together are sufficient for long term survival, and they're cheap and last for years if kept in a cool damp pantry. On a developer's salary you really don't have an excuse not to spend a couple hundred dollars on months worth of emergency food that will keep you (and possibly your community) prepared for years. Don't forget that such preparations are for any unforseeable future event. It's just good to do if you have the space and cash.

allovernow 7y ago
Can't edit now but it should read "cool, dry pantry", not damp.

mindcrime 7y ago

There's two elements of prep work that anybody can and should do: 1. The cheap stuff that you may never use, but if you don't, isn't that big a deal: First aid kits, a supply of disinfectant, masks if it isn't already too late for that, etc. 2. Stuff you're going to buy anyhow, like canned food you already use, stuff you can easily freeze in advance without it being too big a deal, etc., that, again, you would have used anyhow. This is just pulling purchases forward rather than spending new money. I whole-heartedly second this. I'm reluctant to describe myself as "a prepper" because some of the connotations of that term get pretty "out there" (see the "Doomsday Preppers" show for example), but a certain measure of preparedness is a Good Thing. And there are plenty of very realistic situations that could come to pass, where that preparedness would be beneficial, without reaching into the realm of EMP attacks, etc. Natural disasters of all sorts (growing up in the Southeast, hurricanes are something I've had quite a bit of experience with), pandemics, global supply chain disruptions (caused by any number of thins, possibly including the aforementioned pandemic) and so on, are all real things.