Preparedness Goals for 2011

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I have always used the end of one year to plan and prepare for the next. As I described in a recent post- I do not just make a list of goals and leave it at that. I typically will list something I want to accomplish – and steps involved in reaching that goal.

So – here are some of my preparedness goals for 2011:

Food Storage:

Increase my food stores – specifically, additional canned goods as follows
- 50 cans – Whole Potatoes
- 40 cans – Corn
- 25 cans – Green Beans
- 25 cans – Pineapple
- 15 cans – Fruit Cocktail
- 20 cans – Pear
- 20 cans – Peaches
- 30 cans – Beans, baked
- 20 cans – Beef Stew
- 100 cans – Soup, various
- 10 canned Hams
  - How will I accomplish this goal?
    - Shop sales weekly on desired storage foods
    - Clip and order coupons to increase buying power
    - Due date: year end 2011

Alternative Power Support:
- Get back up power supply
  - Buy generator – minimum 3500kw
    - How will I accomplish this goal?
      - Save money to purchase.
      - Make larger purchase Fall of 2011 to complete needs
      - Due date: October 2011

: 4000kw for $299.00 – not bad

Defensive Support:

Increase ammo stores – specifically:
- 80 rounds of .30-30 Winchester ammo
- 200 rounds of 5.56mm ammo
- 500 rounds .40S&W ammo
  - How will I accomplish this goal?
    - Purchase a few boxes of ammo on the 3oth of each month (payday)
    - Make larger purchase Fall of 2011 to complete needs
    - Due date: year end 2011

Add additional firearms - specifically:
- Mossberg 500 12 gauge shotgun
- AK-47 Rifle (not sure exactly which manufacturer – possibly Inter-Ordnance)
  - How will I accomplish this goal?
    - Lay-a-way firearms over the course of the year and/or
    - Make larger purchase Fall of 2011 to complete needs
    - Due date: year end 2011

Inter-Ordnance AK-47

Organization/Mobility:

Better organize survival & preparedness supplies:
- How will I accomplish this goal?
  - Divide up supplies into individual labeled plastic totes.
  - Make better use of shelving in garage.
  - Take inventory of all supplies.
  - Due date: March 1st, 2011
Adapt Preparedness System so that supplies can be re-located in short-notice:
- How will I accomplish this goal?
  - Purchase trailer to load supplies into.
  - Maintain system of having most supplies in movable containers.
  - Maintain system of having empty containers available for those supplies stored in cabinets and on shelves.
  - Due date: year end 2011

These are not the only things I want to accomplish regarding preparedness – but some of the most basic ones for me. There are other firearms I would like to get. There are additional food stores I will be stocking away – including some long-term foods at the end of the year.

During the course of the year I will update everyone on how I am doing on this list. One thing – this list is not “written in stone” – it can change and it can evolve depending on circumstances. There may be substitutions, additions, and subtractions.

Anyone else have some preparedness goals/plans for 2011? If so — please feel free to leave a comment.

Rourke

Added after initial posting: I had forgotten to mention that when I say “Make larger purchase Fall of 2011″ the reason for this is I will be taking out a 401k Loan in September or October.

Tags: survival planning, survival supplies

planning, Survival & Preparedness | Rourke December 31, 2010

15 Comments to “Preparedness Goals for 2011”

By Dave, December 31, 2010 @ 6:46 am

Rourke: Check out northerntool I bought a 7k watt (surge) generator for under $600. Good friend of mine works there and told me the Chinese cloned the Honda one and painted it blue.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200419024_200419024

Dave
By Rourke, December 31, 2010 @ 8:12 am

Dave –

Thanks for the info! I will keep this in mind.

Rourke
By carl, December 31, 2010 @ 9:23 am

Checkout Government Liquidation website. http://WWW.govliquidation.com/ . I am in wisconsin and I check out what is available at Ft Mc Coy near LaCross on a regular basis. This week they have 2 60KW portable gensets on a trailer and numerous trailers for sale. I am going to try to purchase at least a chevy blazer, a trailer and perhaps a genset this year, funds allowing. The biggest problem with the things at this site is inspecting prior to the auction. It is about an hour away for me, but the base QM in charge will allow you to touch the stuff, perhaps but not start anything or run it…Sometimes they have really interesting stuff that you would never suspect the military has…
By carl, December 31, 2010 @ 10:53 am

actually that genset is 600KW sorry
By GypsySixx, December 31, 2010 @ 2:08 pm

Great stuff. This is turning into one of my favorite websites. I always find myself here then surfing onto the blogroll. I live by the rule of always having a rifle, handgun or bow on layaway. I seem to acquire about 3 or 4 guns a year and a new Bowtech bow every other year. In good times put $50 .00 a week toward the payment or even $10.00 when things are bad. Most gun shops will work with you. The key is have patience, your not going to have your new toy home in a month. Keep up the great work . GypsySixx
By T2, December 31, 2010 @ 6:09 pm

Thanks for sharing your plan, it helps me get off my lazy backside and do the same. On your search for a good AK, I recommend you take a look at the following page: http://www.ar15.com/forums/board.html?b=4 Tons of great info on the AK if you haven’t already seen it. I own an Arsenal SGL 21, got it from Atlantic Firearms a few yrs ago and had great service but there are several folks that sell it.
By KPinkerton, December 31, 2010 @ 7:21 pm

What arte your thoughts on a possible solar generator. mabey wont have the power of a gas one but for longevity with several solar pannels wouldnt it be a better choice saving fuels for cars and other needs? Ive seen a few portable set ups that can push out something like 80wats a pannel. Im new to considering a power supply Ive focused on food and firearms and knowledge, so Id really like your oppinion.
By CM, December 31, 2010 @ 7:58 pm

One thing you may want to consider while packing for a potential bugout.

Weigh EVERYTHING you pack and plan to take. It quickly adds up and may exceed your planned carrying capacity.

Another thought concerns fuel – what you have listed doesn’t include fuel, though I am sure you have some. But each item you carry will impact the mileage of the bugout vehicle. The farther you go, the larger the impact. This also affects the organization of what you carry, how it is loaded, the order of loading and distribution of weight. If you load everything ahead of time, and see where weight it distributed, you will be ahead of the game. If you don’t, you may have a heavy load on the tongue of the trailer, or it may be too light on the tongue, or worse, you may have too much on one side and risk a blowout.

Also, try a ‘fire-drill’ to see how long it takes to be ready to G.O.O.D. Each time you do the drill, you will get better, faster, and more organized. You will have a feel for where things should be stored, how they should be moved and in what order. Then, in between, keep tires covered from the sun, and up to pressure – low pressure is as likely to cause a blowout as overloading. (Been there on the low pressure problem on my travel trailer – I hadn’t checked it in 4 months. It looked OK, but 600 miles down the road and … )

Just some thoughts.
By Apartment Prepper, December 31, 2010 @ 8:06 pm

These are good goals, and having a deadline keeps you on track. Good post as always. I wish you and your family a happy 2011!
By Jason, January 1, 2011 @ 12:28 pm

Just some thoughts, CM is correct about requiring more fuel for your vehicle especially if it has a trailer attached, getting good quality fuel cans should be in the honorable mention too.
I don’t see much in the way of meats – protein in your food. Canned ham can only go so far, better bet is getting a few cans of freeze dried ground beef, chicken and beef when it’s on sale at the various online stores.
As for getting the AK, you might be better off getting a second AR – two is one, one is none. While they are fun to shoot, tough as nails that means you’ll also now have to stock a 2nd rifle caliber, cleaning gear, magazines, load carrying pouches/chest rig/ect. That adds up quickly in cost that outweighs any savings in current ammo prices. You’re already familiar with the AR, have pouches, magazines, spare parts, cleaning gear and ammo for it – right? if anything then you and wife will have common caliber/weapon platforms if case of self defense. I know people who have a specific firearm for event x, y, z… if this happens I chose the FAL, if it’s this I’ll pick the AR, if it’s this then it’s the shotgun. Far to many preppers fall into the must buy multiple firearms in multiple calibers mostly because it’s the caliber of the month. You’re far better off having more of one caliber then having multiple calibers/weapons. Don’t fall for the battlefield pickup/scrounging theory that’s prevalent in the survivalist community. I’ve been doing this since the Y2k days and seen a lot of things, its kind of interesting to see the same things occurring in the Preparedness community today as it did in Y2k.
By Gun Stuff, January 1, 2011 @ 1:47 pm

Very nice goals, but I am curious as to how you are set for ammunition for your existing firearms now? Your yearly goals sound very much in line with the all too common trap of too many guns, too little ammunition. I do recognize, of course, that it is a fun trap for we gun lovers to to find ourselves in. I’m assuming you have a .223/5.56 already, based on your plans to purchase ammunition for it, but if you do not have enough ammunition to literally wear it out, then the AK is superfluous – at least from a preparedness standpoint. I’m just tossing out MHO as food for thought , of course. The shotgun fills a different role, obviously, and so has greater value for that reason, although I’ll admit that I personally think that a noisy and a slow to fire and reload riot gun with abusive recoil and heavy ammunition is very over rated for most situations. Again, it is a lot of fun of course.

Thanks for starting such a good blog, and I look forward to many return visits.
By DavidW, January 1, 2011 @ 1:50 pm

Hi Rourke,
Just found your site, great stuff! I wanted to share a recent AK purchase that I’m really happy about. I ordered a Romanian Draco AK pistol a few weeks ago for a great price:

http://www.jgsales.com/product_info.php/p/romanian-ak-draco-pistol-7-62×39-caliber-handgun-/products_id/1696

It handles very well, shoots very well (quite a fire ball and report on this puppy) and it is only 20.5″ from tip of barrel to butt, so it can carry very easily for various scenarios. Being that it is a ‘pistol’, it can conceal carry in a small backpack or such with a CCP.

I picked up 1000 rounds of FMJ, non-corrosive mil-surp rounds at a local gun show for $185. Not a bad little package..

Regards,
DavidW
By Cheryl, January 2, 2011 @ 2:18 pm

You may want to consider most all corn is GMO based these days and bad for your health.

With all this planning some gov’t a-hole will just come to your place wanting to confiscate all you advertise here, and blow your brains out making a joke of all your planning. They’re that cruel.

Also consider I once wrote a blog article about considering getting gun training at Front Site in LV, that some nutcase gave to a judge in a RO case. I didn’t know him, he went in and lied after I got a IP address of one of his lawsuit threats. He lied to a judge and the judge ate up whatever he said because he wanted to prevent me from owning a firearm. I later one a $25K lawsuit against this guy for his activities. It showed to me the government is definitely against the people and seeks to entrap us all.
By Penelope, January 3, 2011 @ 4:49 pm

Have been monthly regularly adding to my G.O.O.D. or Bugout kit. Hope many gals are doing same. Cannot rely on having man to do it. Even seniors need to do this. AK’s, AR’s, 12-gauge’s, etc., would probably blow up most smaller person’s shoulders – terrific! Get training on weapons handling and maintenance. I agree on too many choices – complexity – slows down everything. Exercise the KISS principle. Learn about edible plants, growing own food from heirloom seeds, etc. Get a few farming tools. Thanks for the great information. See you later.
By Patriot One, January 5, 2011 @ 5:53 pm

I like the written goal, I have to do that so I remember. On the AK if you already have a 5.56 and a 762×51 I would recommend 2 S&W MP15 .22. In the 100 yard fire fight you may not knock them down but they won’t be coming after you eigther. At my local store I’m getting CCI .22LR’s 5250 rounds for $169.00. Consider this 5250 rounds of 022 weighs 46lbs. 5000 rounds of 762×51 weighs about 290lbs.