Survival scenarios during winter may be dangerous because you’re not just dealing with things like a power outage, you also have to face various factors like freezing temperatures.
If you’re worried about how you’re going to keep your family warm during a power outage, invest in a wood-burning stove or get a kerosene heater and stock up on fuel before SHTF. (h/t to SurvivalCache.com)
The survival “Rule of Threes”
Beginner preppers often start their prepping journey by learning about the “Rule of Threes.” According to the Rule of Threes, you can survive:
- Three minutes without air
- Three hours without shelter
- Three days without water
- Three weeks without food
The timeframes for these rules are not absolute, but if you’re confused, the order of the rules will help you prioritize your needs. The version of the rule above is more about temperature regulation than shelter.
When SHTF, remember that you can only survive for three hours “without maintaining core body temperature.” Lengthy exposure to the cold will eventually use up your body’s stored energy, which can cause your body temperature to rapidly decrease, leading to hypothermia.
Signs and symptoms of hypothermia include:
- Clumsiness or lack of coordination
- Confusion or memory loss
- Drowsiness or very low energy
- Loss of consciousness
- Shivering
- Slow, shallow breathing
- Slurred speech or mumbling
- Weak pulse
Safety tips when using alternative heat sources
Before you start deciding which alternative method to use to stay warm during a power outage, follow the tips below to avoid accidents when SHTF.
Avoid sweating
If possible, avoid hard physical labor that can make you sweat in cold weather. This is dangerous because sweating in cold conditions may be deadly.
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning occurs when you burn biomass and fuels without proper ventilation. Exposure to CO can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Make sure you only burn fuel or gas in a well-ventilated area or room to prevent CO poisoning. You should also have battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors in your home that are functioning properly.
Fire safety
When using certain heat sources, there may be a risk for an uncontrolled fire to break out. Always prioritize fire safety when using a heat source like space heaters or a non-electric heater.
This means:
- Making sure the heat source can’t fall over.
- Keeping all flammable materials away from the heat.
- Knowing where you store fuel in relation to the heater.
- Having several methods for extinguishing an uncontrolled fire, like fire extinguishers.
Make sure rooms are properly ventilated
Make sure the area is well-ventilated when sheltering in closed spaces.
Even in cold weather, you can’t completely seal yourself off because you need a source of fresh air. If you’re closing the hatch when the temperatures drop, leave a window cracked open.
Alternative heat sources to use during a power outage
Before SHTF, consider some of the options detailed below so you can stay warm even when there’s a power outage.
Alcohol heater
An alcohol heater is usually small and lightweight, and can burn different fuels, making it a great emergency heating source. Additionally, alcohol is a relatively cheap and available fuel that you can buy from most big box stores or hardware stores.
You can use different types of alcohol with this kind of stove, but it’s best to use denatured alcohol because it burns the cleanest, making it safer to use indoors. Be careful with an alcohol stove since it produces flames that are nearly invisible.
Body heat
This emergency heat source has two variations.
- Concerned about your life’s savings as the multiple challenges decimate retirement accounts? You’re not alone. Find out how Genesis Precious Metals can help you secure your wealth with a proper self-directed IRA backed by physical precious metals.
- Using the body heat of other people is an effective way to stay warm. The best way to do this is to have your family get as close as possible and cover yourselves with an insulating layer like a blanket in one room.
- You can also use the body heat of animals when SHTF. Certain animals, like dogs, have an internal temperature that runs a little higher than humans. This means humans generally have a temperature of 98.6 F while a dog’s normal temperature can be several degrees above that. If the power goes out and you feel cold, cuddle with your pet dog or other friendly domesticated animals to stay warm.
Clothing
Wearing weather-appropriate clothing is crucial because your body is your primary source of heat. If the weather is cold, avoid wearing cotton. Once cotton gets wet, it loses its insulating ability.
Choose wool, which can be a bit expensive but is very durable. Even if wool clothing gets wet, its ability to insulate remains very high.
Wear wool socks to stay warm and put on a pair of gloves, a scarf and a hat. Covering these body parts will help prevent heat loss.
Wear several layers. You can peel off layers if it starts to feel warm.
Exercise
When SHTF and you lose all access to any kind of heat source, you can still stay warm with exercise since it is a great way to increase your body temperature.
While sweating in cold temperatures should be avoided, there is a trick to exercising to stay warm. Don’t exert yourself for long periods like you would during a normal exercise session since this will make you sweat.
Instead, work large muscle groups slowly, take a break, then repeat the process. Squats and pushups are good options because they target large muscle groups.
Electric heaters
Electric space heaters use electricity to heat internal coils, which provides radiant heat. Note that if you want to use electric space heaters, you also need a backup power supply.
This device requires a lot of energy to operate, so you need something more powerful than small-scale solar and wind systems. Get small or whole-home generators instead.
Fireplace
Many homes have a fireplace that is perfect for staying warm even without electricity. But most fireplaces aren’t efficient because most of the heat goes up and out the chimney flue.
If you don’t have another option, use a fireplace to stay warm.
Hand warmers
Hand warmers are a quick and easy way to keep parts of your body warm.
There are two different kinds of hand warmers: non-electric and electric.
Non-electric heaters come in a packet and consist of a chemical mixture that generates heat when activated. These types of hand warmers are cheap and you can easily find them at sporting goods stores, big box stores or hardware stores.
Electric heaters are little devices that can be used to charge other devices or as a hand warmer. If you don’t have electricity, you will need an alternative power source to charge it, like a generator or solar panels.
Kerosene heater
A kerosene heater needs kerosene as a liquid fuel. When ignited, kerosene produces an open flame enclosed within the frame of the heater.
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Due to the nature of the fuel being used and the open flame, some kerosene heaters have an accidental tip over shutoff mechanism. This safety feature will extinguish the flame if the heater becomes unstable to prevent an uncontrolled fire. (Related: Survival tips: How to live without electricity like the Amish.)
Outdoor fire
Outdoor fires can help a large group stay warm, but the downside is a lot of the warm air from the fire itself is lost to the surrounding area.
To create a better heating system, set up a heat reflector around the fire by building a small wooden fence. This will help radiate some of the heat back to you.
Pellet stoves
Pellet stoves are similar to wood stoves, but the former are usually smaller and can be more expensive. But pellet stoves burn quite clean, work efficiently and generate a lot of heat.
Instead of firewood, you only need recycled sawdust and wood compressed into small pellets.
Propane heater
A propane heater can provide heat during an outage and they are portable like a traditional space heater. Propane heaters typically use small bottles of propane that attach right to the heater.
Rocket mass heater
A rocket mass heater is a type of rocket stove that operates similarly to a rocket stove but on a larger scale. Pair a rocket mass heater with a ventilation system for a very effective indoor heater.
Tea candles
Even small candles are effective at warming small spaces if you don’t have other heat sources.
While you can use several tea candles to keep an average-sized room warm, you shouldn’t use this method if you are going to sleep. It’s much safer to heat a room with candles using several clay pots.
Wood-burning stove
Unlike a fireplace, where most of the heat is lost through the chimney, wood-burning stoves contain the entire fire, allowing them to retain heat in the room more effectively.
If it has a flat surface on top, you can also use a wood-burning stove for cooking food or boiling water. However, a wood-burning stove will also require firewood.
Before disaster strikes during winter, choose a method that doesn’t rely on the grid so you can keep your family warm even during a power outage. Always exercise caution when using heating devices with open flames.
- Concerned about your life’s savings as the multiple challenges decimate retirement accounts? You’re not alone. Find out how Genesis Precious Metals can help you secure your wealth with a proper self-directed IRA backed by physical precious metals.
Watch the video below for tips on how to charge solar batteries using a generator.
This video is from the Solar Surge channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
- Survival essentials: 9 Stealthy ways to cook after SHTF.
- Prepper must-haves: What to stock up on before a summer or winter power outage.
- Emergency preparedness: 10 Ways to heat your home after SHTF.
Sources include:
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
