Victor S. and his wife have lived through many hurricanes in New Orleans.
They have suffered through power outages, food spoilage, and sweating during the summer heat.
In 2021, Victor decided to install a generator at their New Orleans home.
He said, “The power goes out all the time, and you don’t know how long it will be out. Everything stops. Strong winds, and lightning cause outages that can last for a few hours to a day and a half. It’s inconvenient.”
Victor justified his expense by comparing the cost of the generator to paying for a hotel room for weeks at a time when the power went out.
Many homeowners with midsize houses can get a quality whole house generator installed for about $10,000.
So, after a few power outages, the generator would pay for itself when compared to hotel costs for weeks at a time.
Now, when choosing a whole house generator, one of the most important decisions is where to put it.
And there are two factors you want to consider…
First, you likely want to work with a surveyor who can assist in determining the best potential locations for the generator.
The locations should have plenty of room for ventilation.
Second, is choosing a location where the generator is not easily seen.
The generator should be installed in an area where it can’t be seen unless you want someone to see it.
This could include incorporating the generator into your landscaping as much as possible.
When it comes to being prepared, the less the outside world knows, the better off you will be.
For example, if the power goes out you don’t want neighbors showing up at your house because they know you installed a backup generator.
(I’m not saying you shouldn’t help close family or friends, but you can’t help everybody.)
This is why many people are turning to “stealth preparedness.”
Stealth preparedness is being prepared without everyone knowing.
The idea is to build up a stockpile of food, water, guns, and other supplies without it being obvious to the outside world.
You might think your neighbors are good folks, but people do unthinkable things when they are desperate.
So, here are a few ways to incorporate stealth preparedness into your current plans.
Gardening:
Americans love gardens…
Most folks have friends or family members who garden. It’s so common that it doesn’t even register for most people. It’s hidden in plain sight.
So, a simple way to start is to begin gardening.
You can grow food for your family to consume whether during a disaster or normal day.
The neighbors likely won’t give it a second thought.
Add a water feature to landscaping:
Adding a small pond to your backyard is a great way to store emergency water.
You can build a pond as big or small as you like, and you can even add fish to the pond as a food source during a disaster.
Obviously, you would want to filter any water before using it.
If you don’t want to build a pond, you could try rain barrels. Many rain collection barrels are made to blend into the landscaping.
Alternatively, you can run hoses from your rain gutters into the pond to collect rainwater for use during an emergency.
Chickens:
Depending on where you live, you could be paying $10 for a carton of eggs these days.
It’s a great time to start raising chickens. And if you added chickens to your backyard no one would think twice.
They would assume that you, like the rest of the country, are tired of paying ridiculous prices for eggs.
In the long run, chickens can be a great addition to supplying eggs and meat without drawing attention to your prep.
Get the meat from the source:
Where I live in southern Utah there are a lot of cattle ranchers that sell meat directly to customers.
This is a great way to buy large amounts of meat without going to the grocery store or Costco.
Buy a whole or half animal and keep the meat stockpiled in the freezer. You can do the transporting yourself and no one will know of your stockpile, except the rancher.
“Invisible” Food:
A final, easy way to prepare “under the radar,” is by stocking your home with long-term survival food.
Because survival food is more portable and concealable in pouches, you can slip it in your backpack, or stow it in plastic totes in the pantry, basement, or under your bed.
