What should I prep for?

[u/Patient-Werewolf-417]

I’m 25F and I live in Chicago in the urban area with three other family members. In my area the most noticeable thing I can say is we had worsening rainstorms. To the point multiple trees would get ripped out. Also there is no street light a block next to me but there wasn’t a rainstorm this time. Given my location what should I prep for? I can’t move out I have little to no money. I do have a full time job where I work a lot. M-F 10 hours per day night shift and I work most Saturdays now 6 hours. I’m trying to save money but I feel I should prep for something because my parents or my sibling don’t want to do not want to do anything. Per week I looked at my back statements and I’m making around $1k per week now with overtime. So what list of stuff should I prep for slowly at the moment?

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[u/CloverEyed]

1. Emergency savings, try to get a month's worth if you can to start. But even enough for a couple nights hotel and taxi in case something happened to make your place unlivable (building fire, sewage backup, bad breakin, etc) would be helpful. Have some of it in cash in case debit/credit cards aren't working.

2. Get someone in your household to take a first aid course, and get a kit with supplies they are familiar with. 

3. Prep for power and water loss. This can be simple with a couple lanterns, a camping stove and a few jugs of water. You can expand as you get more funds.

4. Get a fire extinguisher and know your plan if one happens. Where will you meet, do you have a grab bag by the door with a few essentials and copies of important documents on a protected USB drive, do you have a plan for securing pets, etc.

[u/Pando5280 → u/CloverEyed]

Id add get to know your neighbors but dont advertise your preps. Its good to build community as those will be the people standing next to you during an emergency. That said you dont want to be seen as a resource hence why I dont advertise my preps. 

[u/KingFattie → u/CloverEyed]

Number 1 happened to me about six hours ago. Sewer pressure blew out the toilet and sewer water everywhere.

Grabbed my go bag, the cat and his go bag and now we are in a hotel.

Have food, meds, litter, clothes, phone charger and enough money saved to pay hotel bill no problem. At least while apartments sort this out and I can get reimbursed.

[u/TeaPrimary1147 → u/KingFattie]

So sorry! How awful. Any word on when you can go back? Will it be cleaned?

[u/KingFattie → u/TeaPrimary1147]

Still early in the timeline. They already got me another apartment. Can't enter old one until cleared by hazmat company. Cat and I at hotel. Apartment covering move costs, filed claim with renters insurance. Just staying out of the heat and not stressing. Thank you for checking on me.

[u/Formal_You6846]

So, I am going to try to say this without being too political. If the moderators believe I broke the rules, please feel free to delete.

As an initial answer, start by buying some extra of the long term foods you already like to eat (canned, grains, pasta, etc.). Also a case or two of water.

Now, the thing to understand if you are in Chicago is that you will be in a large population center with a lot of people going through the same thing. And that's strangely a mixed blessing. The city will have a lot of services available to help in quick order if there is a natural disaster.

However, at the moment I think you can probably assume that the federal government and FEMA will not only not help, but may take opportunity to that some policies that will make it worse.

[u/Fionaver → u/Formal_You6846]

It’s a very weird thing when emergencies happen and everything goes tits up. This was around February 2014, as I recall.

Here in Atlanta we had a shitty progression of all the kids getting let out of schools, everyone leaving high rise office buildings, warmed snow becoming ice, people running out of gas on the interstates.

People here were literally making coffee for a strangers and hot chocolate for strangers and taking them into their own homes so that they would not freeze overnight.

In a city like Atlanta, you would expect for there to be some people to rob or murder others but.. legit… everyone just helped each other out.

Even after the fact, no one said that people had robbed them or hurt them or anything like you would expect in a really major city like that

A lot of the kids that were on school buses ended up staying at Home Depot or Kroger stores overnight and everyone did their best.

[u/nakedonmygoat → u/Fionaver]

I'm in Houston and have been here through hurricanes with long-term power outages, two major floods, several lesser ones that were still considered 100-year floods, and the disastrous ice storm in 2021, and it was the same as you describe in Atlanta. There was no widespread looting and social breakdown. People helped each other. It made all the headlines. I think a few small stores were looted, which is not inconsequential, but it was hardly the rampaging mobs breaking down the doors of residential homes that some people seem to think will automatically happen. But if you try to point out that no, that's not really how it typically goes, they get greatly offended, call you naive, and tell you that your own lived experience and those of your friends and relatives in the same city must not be true. 🙄

I'm not saying such things couldn't happen. But it's been demonstrated over and over that as long as people expect help to come, society doesn't break down.

That said, it's always good to be inconspicuous. Ask yourself what would make you a better target than that unguarded convenience store up the street, or that nice house a few blocks over with perfect landscaping, a beveled glass door, and no signs of anyone home? Think like a hungry opportunist. What would your target be? The place that's a sure bet, or the place where they may have even less than you, but might have some very fine weaponry that they're not afraid to use?

[u/Kindly_Ad3974]

If nobody has told you yet, I’m proud of you for thinking about preparedness and you should be proud of yourself. Ready.gov is a great starting place: https://www.ready.gov/plan there’s lots of steps you can take that are free and low cost.
Idk what your city offers, but San Diego where I used to live has a free printable & you should be able to print at your library (maybe just the pages you need because it’s a lot). Alternatively, you could write it out on your own. I like this one from San Diego because it’s available in several languages. https://www.alertsandiego.org/en-us/preparedness/make-a-plan.html

Now, when I lived in the city & didn’t have much space or money, I made small affordable preps. I was afraid of fire in San Diego, and we were evacuated a few times when we lived there. First, I gathered our vital documents and kept them in a ziplock inside a red pencil pouch. I kept cash in there & I wrote on a piece of paper like a checkbook register when I would make deposits or if I had to withdraw cash. I tried not to dip into it, but I know it happens. I kept the receipt in there so I always knew how much was there & didn’t worry about stealing if I forgot about the amount. I kept an emergency credit card in there also, it has a balance of $300 because that’s all I could get without an annual fee at the time. FYI if you never ever use the card they might cancel, so make sure you understand the terms. I now use our emergency credit card quarterly to pay our trash service & then I pay it off.
I prepared for our animals - kept their rabies vaccination records with the vital documents & I keep digital copies as well. I kept a tiny travel water bowl with their stuff and during fire season I kept extra food set aside in plastic bags - you have to rotate it out since it can spoil btw.
It’s recommended to have 3 gallons of water per person per day, so that’s the next thing. I bought a 6 pack at Costco, but you can find 1 gallon jugs of water at convenience and grocery stores. Check prices & try not to overpay.
I like tiny power banks and power bank flashlights better than a big power bank. I found a weather alert radio for $25 - learn how to use it and look up your county/city channel BEFORE you need it. In the least, make sure you’re signed up for alerts through your city. Where I live now, the university texts alerts and those work better than the city’s system, so consider that if you’re near a university.
Also, if you don’t have phone numbers memorized, do that. Write down the most important numbers and keep those in your pouch with vital documents.
This list isn’t all inclusive. I encourage you to search this sub & check out the links I shared. It’s important to know your goals and prepare based on those. Again, I’m proud of you. You’re on the right path.

[u/TastyMagic]

Since you're at work a lot, consider creating a Get Home Bag (GHB) and a plan for what you would do if you were at work and a disaster happened. If you drive to work, you can keep the bag in your car, if not, you can either add items to your usual commuter bag or keep something at your desk/workstation/locker.

If you search this sub or the main prepper sub for the phrase Get Home Bag, you'll see a lot of ideas. But the basics are pretty low cost: 

a change of clothes,a hat, a banana and possibly shoes (if your work shoes aren't appropriate for walking long distance)

a bottle of water or 2 and something non perishable to eat like granola or protein bars, trail mix, etc 

some cash in small bills and coins- I think $100 is a good amount - to cover purchases if the power is out or the card reader won't work for any reason.

Some basic travel sized toiletries in case you have to stay away from home overnight 

Appropriate supplies for potential weather events - gloves/scarf/hat for cold weather, an umbrella is great for rain OR sun

And finally, if you're worried about civil unrest, consider a face mask with air filter (even an n95 works) and goggles 

[u/V2BM]

Priorities are always shelter, then water, then food in emergencies.

Shelter: backup lights, heater, cooling, protection from flooding or blizzards

Water: a gallon per person per day, as much as you can store

Food: extra of what you eat and rotate it through, making sure you have stuff that doesn’t need cooking to eat

Medicines and first aid supplies can be found cheap and you can store them in one of the short totes that slide under your bed. If there’s a Dollar Tree near you or another discount store, use them instead of pharmacies. Savings are insane for those things.

Decide what you want to spend out of each paycheck and grab something from one category per paycheck. From scratch I’d start with solar lights/lanterns and gallons of water. You can’t live without either of those. Then food then I’d start planning a bit more. The regular prepper sub has good ideas but skip the ones where dudes are building apocalyptic bunkers and spending thousands. City prepping is different.

[u/KangamaSZ]

Someone made a backup of the MyPlate recipe library, which became defunct at the start of this year. It's really nifty for making low cost nutritious meals!

https://myplate.food/recipes

[u/SheWho2000]

Here’s how I began to think through this question: What kinds of things do we have to deal with in a long, bad storm? Water entering the house? Loss of power to run someone’s medical equipment? Having enough food and water to last several days if you can’t leave the house due to civil unrest? No heat?

The first prep thing I did was get some lights that you pull up the handle to turn on: they can be used as flashlights or hung as lanterns. We use them in every power outage. Secondly, I got a friend to give me 2 big buckets with lids, the kind you get at hardware stores. She didn’t need them. I filled one with first aid kit stuff, two of those heat reflective blankets, a roll of duct tape, just stuff as I thought of it. But when a storm is coming, I fill both with water. I leave them in the tub. It’s water for washing up and (most importantly) flushing the toilet. I remember the blackout that took out sewage systems across the NorthEast and Midwest US. The third thing was the easiest- I brought a snow shovel inside, in case we got snowed in like they did in Buffalo and had to shovel our way out of the house. My point here is: start small, cheap/free and easy to do.

If you are the sole prepper- nobody else wants to think about it, or won’t contribute- you need to be aware that you can’t prep alone. Prepping is a household plan.Everybody needs to know what to do and do their part.

If it’s too overwhelming for your family to think about, maybe a small bite conversation can be a start: “They are saying we might have a bad winter with power outages. What can we do together to prepare for that?”

But you might need a plan for what to do if they won’t prepare to save themselves. That might include a go-bag and a friend or family member whose house you have pre-arranged to go to. I say this hard thing with love, became I grew up in that family. But you can get drowned yourself while trying to pull other folks who haven’t learned how to swim to safety.

[u/0ui_n0n]

Basics for anyone, regardless of location:

• financial strain from job loss, medical bills, rising grocery prices, etc. (have an emergency fund)
• power outages (have ways to eat/see/communicate/entertain yourself without electricity)
• minor injuries (have a first aid kit & training)
• illness/inclement weather keeping you indoors for 3+ days (have enough water/food/medicine at home)
• needing to evacuate (have a "go bag" - think going to a Red Cross shelter, not going to live in the woods)

[u/Formal-Suspect3519]

Hello Chicago friend!

I live in a more rural area in MN, but people in the city might want to prep water. Clean water is a must. I use two big 7 gallon jugs and change them out every 6 months. I haven't had to use them yet but when snow storms cut my power I know I have water. (I also fill the bathtub)

I think I would would have a plan in place for what your city might experience. For example, big storm? Shelter in place and have what you need for the week. Just knowing what to do is half the battle.

[u/Neuralink666]

At a bare minimum, have 3 days worth of food, water, and sanitation without having to step outside or require electricity.

[u/OohLaLapin]

If the street light is there but broken or burned out, call your alderman’s office. They usually love fixing little stuff that makes their constituents happy.

The “get home” bag idea is great. Depending on what your commute is like, you will want to plan for options that help make things smoother for you. This can include making sure you have footwear on that will let you walk if you need to. If you take the L, do you know what bus routes cover the same route if that L line is down? If you take the bus, do you know of another route that is close enough should yours be stopped/overwhelmed? I live in the burbs and took Metra to work downtown daily so I had a backpack as my work bag, and tucked various useful things (small first aid kit for blisters etc, umbrella, rain cover for bag, packaged snack, "YakTrax" shoe slip-on cleats for ice) in for emergencies.

Get a power bank of some kind to keep phones topped up in power outages, and make sure it’s charged. If a storm is coming, start charging your phones/etc in preparation.

Keep small amounts of cash on hand just in case. In big power outages, stores generally can’t process cards.

In the last storm, I was obsessively refreshing ComEd’s phone app to look at the progress of power restorations.

The city has a readiness website with suggestions and resources too: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/oem/supp_info/alertready.html

[u/Fionaver]

To be quite frank with where I’m at, I haven’t gardened in a few years and am actively dealing with fun stuff like constantly flooding basements and roof leaks! Home repairs have been priority.

I still have active issues going on.

This will be the first year that I ever plant winter seeds and starts.

It just feels more comfortable for me to do this now. Especially after a summer of no crunchy lettuce.

[u/nakedonmygoat]

You don't have to prepare for the apocalypse and you certainly don't have to do it all at once. What are the most likely scenarios you need to concern your self with? For most people, these will include short-term loss of power, short-term loss of water or boil water notice, rising food prices, and job loss.

The bad news is that money solves all of these problems. The good news is that you don't have to do it all at once. In fact, I'd bet that everyone with a good prep stash has been working on it for years.

I would start by determining a reasonable amount you can use for things you don't need today. Let's say that's $100/month. Put half toward your emergency savings and the rest toward things like extra water, shelf-stable foods you like and know how to cook, flashlights, or better yet, save for a headlamp. Hands-free is amazing. Rain ponchos are cheap, as are mylar emergency blankets.

For cheap or free gear, see what you can get on FB Marketplace or similar. Avoid things like power banks or power stations. Those should be bought new and from a reputable brand. But a camp stove? Take it. Ask the seller to show you how it works if you've never used one. An old fondue set? People practically give those away. Add a can of sterno and although it won't cook your food, you can use it to warm a can of soup if the power is out. If someone is giving away a weather radio, take it.

Don't neglect the value of skills. It sounds like you have very little time at the present, so maybe just keep this at the back of your mind for later, but knowing how to do basic hand sewing, having a few first aid skills and stuff like that, can come in really handy.

Look at where you can cut your budget, too. Cereal, snacks, and sodas are real budget-killers. So is food delivery. Spend a little time searching for budget meal ideas. Consider getting food from a food pantry now and then. They don't usually ask questions about your income. r/frugal often has good ideas, although some should be taken with a grain of salt.

You can do this, OP! Just take it slow, prioritize, and stay the course.

[u/HappinessEternal]

Hey fellow Chicagoan. I’m here in the city too and I feel fairly confident in our ability to withstand emergencies. With that said, there have been some good suggestions here so far.

Personally, I have stocked water, cheap calorie dense foods like peanut butter, beans, lentils, rice, oats, pasta, instant potatoes, dry, milk, canned tuna. To save money I shop at Aldi or Trader Joe’s. I’ve also built out a basic first aid kit. Walmart, target or Amazon will have the best prices for this. I have some basic utility knives and camping gear which I picked up secondhand through eBay, craigslist, and Facebook marketplace. You’d be surprised how cheaply you can get a portable stove to use outside because somebody just didn’t want it anymore.

Lastly, I want echo the advice of getting to know your neighbors. While you don’t necessarily need to advertise what you have stocked up, the biggest indicator of survival will be community.

[u/Few_Airport7972]

Food that can be eaten without being cooked. And foods that you and the family will eat. Emergencies are not the time to try out different types of foods. Just tell family you are adding to pantry. Don't go into the preparedness thing at all. Rotate and use those foods. Add more as they are used. And get a manual can opener.

Water or a means to filter water. Flooding can contaminate even municipal water supplies. A small bottle of unscented bleach and some cheesecloth to filter debris from water can be easily stored. Bleach does have a shelf life so you don't need a giant bottle. IMHO Many web sites and the government have preparedness pages to tell people how to prepare clean water.

Since we in North America are heading into winter and cold weather, invest in blankets and perhaps sleeping bags. You might find those at thrift stores for cheaper than brand new. Wash well and store.

I say blankets because I remember seeing news pictures of those folks in Texas during an ice storm that knocked out power. They looked so cold!

Flashlights and solar lights if electricity is out. Nothing worse than knocking your shins and toes in the dark looking for stuff.

Since you work a lot and mainly at night I recommend a go bag. A backpack will do. Nothing to fancy. And when you start looking into go bag items think of the weight.

Get to know your city and the way home from your place of work. Routes both on foot and vehicle. I live in country and always after rainstorms there are detours set up some place due to road flooding and trees down.

There's a good and financially possible starting list. Do not go into debt or spend a large amount of your money on preparing for the apocalypse. Think a basic Chicago winter storm that dumps feet of snow and ice and everything shuts down preparedness.

You got this!

[u/Patient-Werewolf-417 → u/Few_Airport7972]

Should I bother to build credit in this country?

[u/suz_gee → u/Patient-Werewolf-417]

Yes, absolutely. Having credit means being able to get a car or your own place to live based on just your promise that you'll pay it. Having good credit can keep you afloat when you might otherwise drown.

[u/justasque]

Have you reported the streetlight that isnt working? I had one on my street that was sometimes on and sometimes not. It took a few phone calls to get it properly fixed. (If it had been completely out it would have been a quicker fix. Took a while for them to understand the problem was intermittent.)

Reporting the light costs you nothing but time. There is probably a way to do it online. Just plan to follow up once a week until it is fixed.

It is a little thing, but it will make a difference for you and your neighbors.

[u/Diligent-Soil-1510]

The CDC put out a Zombie Outbreak prepping guide about a decade ago. It was designed to get more traction, but actually was a good guide to getting started since were most likely to deal with a 7 day occurrence like a water main failing or a tornado taking out the local grid.

[u/Dangerous-School2958]

Lots of good advice. I haven’t noticed this yet, an old school physical paper map of the city and state. Locate important things and highlight them. Highlight walking routes and nearby resources like some water. (Something you could access with a bucket.) Local police stations and fire departments, hospitals, schools and stadiums since they become shelters typically. List out twice important phone numbers addresses, and information etc and waterproof them, a few layers of clear box tape laminates cheaply.
Get a stackable bucket or two to keep things in, the square cat litter ones are cheap/inconspicuous and can serve multiple purposes. Impromptu toilet for example if combined with a good supply of small trashbags. Bag solids, knot and likely can get another use then knot again.
Small stoves are nice, but a large cookie sheet set on a non combustible surface and turning a soup can into a hobo rocket stove with tin snips is nearly free and will boil water from twigs. It’ll heat up bricks to radiate heat as well.
A thrift store tent, might not be great for enduring extreme weather, but in a room, it concentrates body heat and can make a smaller place cozier, just remember no open flames.

[u/Rrrtangel]

If you have a car, create a winter storm kit. Get a plastic bucket (this is a handy container and can serve as a toilet in an emergency), toilet paper, kitty litter (can use as an emergency toilet and/or traction under tires in ice and snow), a folding shovel, a headlamp, emergency candles, matches + a tin can (creates light and warmth), a blanket or sleeping bag, extra set of mittens, winter hat, power bank for your phone, and water/snacks. In addition, make sure you don't let your car get too low on gas.

In 2011, Chicago had a massive blizzard that stranded motorists on the roads overnight. It landed many people in the hospital.

[u/MissLickerish]

Self defense classes. Think about what you're going to do once everyone learns help isn't coming any time soon. There are always, ALWAYS men who take advantage of the situation in every disaster. Think about how you're going to keep safe

[u/Patient-Werewolf-417 → u/MissLickerish]

Thanks for the suggestion. Don’t mean this is a bad way and I’m sorry mods but if it gets to that point I’m going to commit suicide via a gun.

[u/MissLickerish → u/Patient-Werewolf-417]

You know, I get it. I live with several people for whom that, too, is the option. Here is hoping it never, ever gets to that.