Camping Gear as "emergency" equipment

[Radio]

OK, the backstory is that Atlanta is getting blasted by a winter storm. All the snow is north of here. My neck of the woods is getting sleet and freezing rain. This glazes the roads and brings tree limbs down on the power lines.

So out to the camper to prepare for a possible power outage (which is really about the worst thing that could happen)

Portable LP heater
Flashlights and batteries
battery powered alarm clock (doesn't need AC power)
a couple more blankets

We have a gas water heater and stove in the house, so that's not a problem, and a gas space heater in the basement, plus a fireplace.

Charge up the cell phone and stand your vehicle windshield wipers "up on their ends" so you won't have to dig them out.

What else is in your camper that's good for weathering out the winter storms?

[One Country Boy]

We have a winter storm watch in our area Wade. I guess yours is a warning. I never thought about that with the windshield wipers. Interesting.

Glad we are not about to endure anything like that. The hot water heater, all the water lines and tanks have been drained on the 5er here. I did not worry to blow the lines out with air.

46 degrees here right now, huminity is 48%. Wind from the north at 4mph. It's suppose to go down to freezing. Good luck to you in the frozen participation.

[Radio]

Haven't yet needed anything in the way of emergency gear, as the power is still on. The roads have all turned into skating rinks. Not expected to get above freezing tonight, so tomorrow will be even slicker than today.

Might go back out to the camper and get the dominoes...

[One Country Boy]

It didn't freeze here last night I don't think. The wind is cold and out of the east. 43 degrees here. Humidity 90% very overcast.

Maybe it will not get as bad as thought Wade.

[TXiceman]

I sure wish those dang Yankees would keep that cold Yankee weather up north were it belongs...

Ken

[Andy N1ORK]

Deng Yankees???? I don't think that's the correct spelling.
73
Andy - n1ork

[W4MBG]

we have a 7500 watt onan diesel genny for the entire house, except the a/c. i plan to rig up a cable to let the 4kw onan in the rv power the a/c in case we need it in the summer.

[wa8yxm]

Well.. I wired my house with a proper generator transfer panel and inlet so I could power needed hardware (TV's. Food storage, Furnace) off the Motor home's Onan... However before that.. Long before that.. I recall one power fail.. The weather was far nicer so we were not freezing our ... ahem's off.. but it was dark, and Darling Daughter needed to finish her homework.. So shortly after I got home, headed out to the trailer we had back than and pulled a container labeled LIGHTS out of the thing... Cars would go down the street, you'd hear the screech of brakes, and the sound of a car in reverse. Why.. Well, our house was lit up all nice and cherry..... It was the only house in the neighborhood so lit.

THANK YOU MR. COLEMAN (Coleman gas lanterns)

[One Country Boy]

Good story about Coleman John. I enjoyed that. It's 34 here right now. The humidity is so high it's a bone chilling cold outside. I just came in from letting "The Boyz" do their thing. Needless to say, they did not terry, but got back into the house fairly quickly..

[wa8yxm]

That is one nice thing about house trained cats.. I don't have to take 'em outside :). We still have snow on the ground here in SC, Folks are telling me that this is the worst snow they have seen in 22 years.

Humm.. 11 year sunspot cycle.

[ke5zru]

Since we live in our RV, I would answer your question in this way...

Our emergency kit is actually in our Nissan Pathfinder...

In our emergency kit, we have first aid supplies, hand warmers, blanket, freeze-dried food packs, dog food, flash lights, waterproof reflective gear, ice scraper, bottled water, and de-icer spray.

:)

[KE5ZRT]

Portable LP heater
Flashlights and batteries
battery powered alarm clock (doesn't need AC power)
a couple more blankets

What else is in your camper that's good for weathering out the winter storms?

In my opinion, the beauty of living in an RV is the redundancy in all of the systems. We have both a ceramic radiant heater and also a propane vent free heater so we have heat regardless of the whether or not we have power. Of course the lights run with or without AC power, and when all else fails the 6500 watt Onan genset will make the lights burn! Of course, solar power would be the ultimate back up system but I'm not going to do that just yet. We also have an electric blanket that is very nice when the weather turns very cold. And if the phones don't work there is always amatuer radio! As long as I can keep the water from freezing we will be in good shape! It was 2 degrees here yesterday!

My wife and I are also storm spotters and we keep an emergency kit in the truck with: a wool blanket, 50 chemical hand warmers, a fire starting kit, a complete first aid kit, road cones, tow strap, jumper cables, 4-way lug wrench, a hydraulic floor jack, reflective vests, high visibility orange rain suits (railroad grade), emergency food rations, flashlight, leather and cloth gloves, hard hats (for hail stones!), and a climbing harness. We are both CPR heartsaver certified. I would really like to have an automated external defibrulator (AED) but they are expensive--about $2500 for a cheap one! I also need a good 12 volt air compressor.

[KF5BET]

Love the picture Jim. We were 28 here last night with projected 25 for tonight.

I installed an electronic dog door last year for the lab. Best thing I ever purchased. Now Maggie comes and goes as she pleases and I don't have to get up in the mniddle of the night to let her out. She has a little battery operated key on her collar that unlocks the door when she goes into the laundry room (where the door is). Once she goes out and moves away from the door, the door locks so no other critter can come in.

[wa8yxm]

we have a 7500 watt onan diesel genny for the entire house, except the a/c. i plan to rig up a cable to let the 4kw onan in the rv power the a/c in case we need it in the summer.

WARNING: Central Air is usually 220 v

Many RV generators are only 120V... My Onan is 120V

2 legs, but both legs are same (in parallel) so it's only 120V

Theory has it I can re-wire the Onan for 240 volt but I have not attempted it or researched beyond formulation of theory.

But the L-1 L-2 voltage on my generator is always zero, won't run the house A/C. Did, however, run everything else save the cloths dryer (240 volt) and range (Gas)

[W4MBG]

yeah, i'll have to check that out. thanks for the reminder. might not be an easy fix. we shall see...