momopi
Well-known member
Deck Storage Boxes for Emergency Supplies (food, water, and other necessities)
The 5.1 earthquake in March (2014) served as a reminder to Southern California residents that we live in an earthquake zone. Many of us have prepared emergency supplies, but what happens if our homes are damaged and inaccessible? If your home is in danger of collapsing, I?d not recommend risking life and injury for a box of instant noodles in your kitchen. It's your civic duty to prepare for emergencies, instead of waiting for a handout from FEMA.
I store two month's supply of emergency food and water around the house, but came the realization that they may not be accessible after a major earthquake. With that in mind, I decided to purchase a couple deck storage boxes and place them in the backyard, away from the house. The deck storage boxes would be used to store 5 gallon buckets of food and supplies, plus gallon water bottles and tent to survive in the backyard for couple of weeks. In the event that I had to bug out in my car, I can easily transport the buckets into my car trunk.
Please note that this is my first attempt at storing emergency supplies outside. My method is not the cheapest or most efficient. I choose the deck storage boxes because they make nice bench seating with cushion in the yard, so I can sit and watch my eggplants and cucumbers grow. Also, the supplies are specific to Southern California's climate, where light tent and light emergency sleeping bag is sufficient. If you live in an area with more extreme temperatures, you'd need to adjust accordingly.
Why 5 gallon buckets? The buckets are inexpensive, water-proof, and easy to carry with handle. If you had to camp in your backyard after an earthquake, you can put the buckets in your tent for security, or empty the contents and draw water from your HOA pool. If you had to bug out, you can haul the buckets into your car trunk quickly. Non-food grade bucket with lid at Lowes or Home Depot cost $4; versus food grade buckets with lid is $6 (use food grade if you store food/water directly inside bucket). The buckets are also good for washing, and use as emergency toilet with bucket toilet seat ($10-$20) and kitchen trash bags.
I have a supply of Mountain House #10 cans of freeze-dried foods and Costco gallon water bottles ($4 for 6-pack) at home, so I planned for each deck storage box to contain 10 days worth of food and water for one person. A common mistake people make is that they assume one serving of freeze-dried food makes a meal, and half to one gallon of water per person per day is sufficient. In reality, each cup of freeze-dried food is 200-240 calories, and require 1 cup of water to cook. So you should plan to consume 6 servings (1200-1440 calories) per day, plus extra water for cooking.
Each #10 can of freeze-dried food contains approx. 10 servings, so for 10 days I'd need 6 servings per day * 10 days = 60 servings, or six #10 cans. 60 servings of freeze-dried food will require 60 cups of water to cook, which is 60 cups divided by 16 cups per gallon = 3.75 gallons. I plan for 1 gallon per day for drinking and washing, so we need 10 gallons for 10 days plus 3.75 gallons for cooking = 14 gallons of water (rounded up).
Each 5 gallon bucket can fit two #10 cans plus room to spare for additional supplies inside. I'd need three 5 gallon buckets to store six #10 cans, plus 14 gallons of water in one-gallon bottles to go inside the box. The storage box will also need additional space to fit over-sized items, such as seating cushions and tent. With this in mind, I ran around the local hardware store with 5 gallon buckets and tape ruler in hand, before realizing that the storage box dimensions are printed on the box. LoL.
After measuring numerous deck boxes are Lowes and Home Depot, I decided to purchase two Suncast DBW7500 73-gallon deck box for $100 each. Similar models are also available on Amazon for $80-$85 with free shipping: DB800B, DB800BW, & DBW7300. The box will fit three 5 gallon buckets with lid, plus 14 one-gallon water bottles. There's 6 inches of space on top to store seat cushions and 2-3 person light tent. There?s still space for shoes, toilet paper, charcoal, pet food, etc.
Since the deck box is placed outside, the contents are subjected to high/low temperatures in summer and winter. You should expect reduced shelf life for your emergency food, and water should be replaced annually ? water your plants with the old water and replace with new bottled water. I did not buy the water storage jerrycans because for the price of one blue jerrycan ($40) I can buy 60 one gallon bottles from Costco. I already have a stock of Costco gallon water at the house.
In planning for other supplies to fill the buckets with, I divided the supplies into two categories: inspect/replace annually, and inspect/replace every 5 years. I put all the "inspect/replace annually" stuff in bucket #1, "inspect/replace every 5 years" in bucket #2, and extra set of cloths + gloves in bucket #3. I also put a pair of old shoes in a bag in the box. In an emergency situation, you'd need to rely on your hands and feet, so you should protect them well.
Stuff that you should inspect/replace annually: water, first aid kit, medicine, charcoal, food seasoning, batteries (if you bought the cheap stuff, Duracells are good for 5-10 years), etc.
Before you run to Walmart or Big 5 to stock up on camping supplies for your stash, look around the house for things that you already have. This isn't a bug-out bag where weight is critical, so you don't need the ultralight titanium spoon and fork set. Just put some old utensils in a ziplock bag and throw it in the bucket. Remember to put a lid on the bucket, and store other items in the box inside a plastic bag if possible. Weather proofed items will last longer.
Because the patio deck box is not locked, I'd recommend buying cheap supplies in case of theft. You can also save money by storing supplies in buckets without the deck box, and buy cheaper food like white rice instead of the more expensive freeze-dried foods. Remember that what I put in is mostly what I already have around the house, plus whatever cheap stuff I find on sale. I bought the "Quick Stove" (Cube Stove) with cedar fuel discs, but a charcoal starter with a grate on top will work fine to cook with.
Lastly, a very important reminder: DO NOT store firearms and ammunition in the deck box! (They belong in your locked gun safe.) If your neighbor's kid were to find them and have an accident, it'd be YOUR responsibility. Even air rifles can cause serious injury and death! If you must add an air rifle to your stash to hunt doves and rabbits for survival, please use a LOCKED storage box, install a trigger lock, and store your pellets in a separate locked container. Yes I've read D.M.'s blog post (http://survivalblog.com/pellet_rifle_hunting_by_dm/). I'll discuss the viability of hunting small game with air rifle in SHTF scenario at later time.
In Part II (when I get around to it), I'll list some of the items that I store, and reasons for choosing them.
The 5.1 earthquake in March (2014) served as a reminder to Southern California residents that we live in an earthquake zone. Many of us have prepared emergency supplies, but what happens if our homes are damaged and inaccessible? If your home is in danger of collapsing, I?d not recommend risking life and injury for a box of instant noodles in your kitchen. It's your civic duty to prepare for emergencies, instead of waiting for a handout from FEMA.
I store two month's supply of emergency food and water around the house, but came the realization that they may not be accessible after a major earthquake. With that in mind, I decided to purchase a couple deck storage boxes and place them in the backyard, away from the house. The deck storage boxes would be used to store 5 gallon buckets of food and supplies, plus gallon water bottles and tent to survive in the backyard for couple of weeks. In the event that I had to bug out in my car, I can easily transport the buckets into my car trunk.
Please note that this is my first attempt at storing emergency supplies outside. My method is not the cheapest or most efficient. I choose the deck storage boxes because they make nice bench seating with cushion in the yard, so I can sit and watch my eggplants and cucumbers grow. Also, the supplies are specific to Southern California's climate, where light tent and light emergency sleeping bag is sufficient. If you live in an area with more extreme temperatures, you'd need to adjust accordingly.
Why 5 gallon buckets? The buckets are inexpensive, water-proof, and easy to carry with handle. If you had to camp in your backyard after an earthquake, you can put the buckets in your tent for security, or empty the contents and draw water from your HOA pool. If you had to bug out, you can haul the buckets into your car trunk quickly. Non-food grade bucket with lid at Lowes or Home Depot cost $4; versus food grade buckets with lid is $6 (use food grade if you store food/water directly inside bucket). The buckets are also good for washing, and use as emergency toilet with bucket toilet seat ($10-$20) and kitchen trash bags.
I have a supply of Mountain House #10 cans of freeze-dried foods and Costco gallon water bottles ($4 for 6-pack) at home, so I planned for each deck storage box to contain 10 days worth of food and water for one person. A common mistake people make is that they assume one serving of freeze-dried food makes a meal, and half to one gallon of water per person per day is sufficient. In reality, each cup of freeze-dried food is 200-240 calories, and require 1 cup of water to cook. So you should plan to consume 6 servings (1200-1440 calories) per day, plus extra water for cooking.
Each #10 can of freeze-dried food contains approx. 10 servings, so for 10 days I'd need 6 servings per day * 10 days = 60 servings, or six #10 cans. 60 servings of freeze-dried food will require 60 cups of water to cook, which is 60 cups divided by 16 cups per gallon = 3.75 gallons. I plan for 1 gallon per day for drinking and washing, so we need 10 gallons for 10 days plus 3.75 gallons for cooking = 14 gallons of water (rounded up).
Each 5 gallon bucket can fit two #10 cans plus room to spare for additional supplies inside. I'd need three 5 gallon buckets to store six #10 cans, plus 14 gallons of water in one-gallon bottles to go inside the box. The storage box will also need additional space to fit over-sized items, such as seating cushions and tent. With this in mind, I ran around the local hardware store with 5 gallon buckets and tape ruler in hand, before realizing that the storage box dimensions are printed on the box. LoL.
After measuring numerous deck boxes are Lowes and Home Depot, I decided to purchase two Suncast DBW7500 73-gallon deck box for $100 each. Similar models are also available on Amazon for $80-$85 with free shipping: DB800B, DB800BW, & DBW7300. The box will fit three 5 gallon buckets with lid, plus 14 one-gallon water bottles. There's 6 inches of space on top to store seat cushions and 2-3 person light tent. There?s still space for shoes, toilet paper, charcoal, pet food, etc.
Since the deck box is placed outside, the contents are subjected to high/low temperatures in summer and winter. You should expect reduced shelf life for your emergency food, and water should be replaced annually ? water your plants with the old water and replace with new bottled water. I did not buy the water storage jerrycans because for the price of one blue jerrycan ($40) I can buy 60 one gallon bottles from Costco. I already have a stock of Costco gallon water at the house.
In planning for other supplies to fill the buckets with, I divided the supplies into two categories: inspect/replace annually, and inspect/replace every 5 years. I put all the "inspect/replace annually" stuff in bucket #1, "inspect/replace every 5 years" in bucket #2, and extra set of cloths + gloves in bucket #3. I also put a pair of old shoes in a bag in the box. In an emergency situation, you'd need to rely on your hands and feet, so you should protect them well.
Stuff that you should inspect/replace annually: water, first aid kit, medicine, charcoal, food seasoning, batteries (if you bought the cheap stuff, Duracells are good for 5-10 years), etc.
Before you run to Walmart or Big 5 to stock up on camping supplies for your stash, look around the house for things that you already have. This isn't a bug-out bag where weight is critical, so you don't need the ultralight titanium spoon and fork set. Just put some old utensils in a ziplock bag and throw it in the bucket. Remember to put a lid on the bucket, and store other items in the box inside a plastic bag if possible. Weather proofed items will last longer.
Because the patio deck box is not locked, I'd recommend buying cheap supplies in case of theft. You can also save money by storing supplies in buckets without the deck box, and buy cheaper food like white rice instead of the more expensive freeze-dried foods. Remember that what I put in is mostly what I already have around the house, plus whatever cheap stuff I find on sale. I bought the "Quick Stove" (Cube Stove) with cedar fuel discs, but a charcoal starter with a grate on top will work fine to cook with.
Lastly, a very important reminder: DO NOT store firearms and ammunition in the deck box! (They belong in your locked gun safe.) If your neighbor's kid were to find them and have an accident, it'd be YOUR responsibility. Even air rifles can cause serious injury and death! If you must add an air rifle to your stash to hunt doves and rabbits for survival, please use a LOCKED storage box, install a trigger lock, and store your pellets in a separate locked container. Yes I've read D.M.'s blog post (http://survivalblog.com/pellet_rifle_hunting_by_dm/). I'll discuss the viability of hunting small game with air rifle in SHTF scenario at later time.
In Part II (when I get around to it), I'll list some of the items that I store, and reasons for choosing them.
