Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

From the I-Cant-Stop-Picking-At-It Department:

The Chief of the New Orleans Police Department (Motto: To serve and defect) resigned the other day. The next day (or maybe it was the same day) articles started appearing saying how federal investigators are finding that there may have been up to 500 'ghost' officers…cops on the payroll who didnt really exist. This just gets better and better!!! Compass needs to be hauled in and investigated so hard he cant sit properly. When thats done, get Nagin on the hot seat and sweat him too. After that, Blanco has some 'splainin' to do. These guys are the freaking poster child for why the nannystate doesnt work.
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Every little geegaw and gimmick that we use to give ourselves an edge requires a ceratin amount of support. That is to say, if you have a nice knife you need to have more than just a sheath for it, right? You need sharpening tools, oil, a rag, needle & thread for sheath maintenance, etc, etc. Same way if you have a generator you need fuel, oil, plugs, cables, etc, etc,…and it goes back even more generations than that – you cant just have the fuel you then have to have the fuel container, fuel stabilizer, fuel transfer tools, fire extinguishers, etc.  So, theres really a bit more to getting a pice of gear than just getting it and figuring 'okay, Im set'. Todays example: this is everything I need to maintain my S&W Model 10 .38 revolver. Excuse the formatting..its exported from a spreadsheet I maintain.

Accessory        speedloaders
Accessory        speedloader pouches
Accessory        holster
Accessory        plastic bag
Accessory        Gun rug
Accessory        Speed Strips
Ammo        ammo
Cleaning        Solvent
Cleaning        patches
Cleaning        rod
Cleaning        jag
Cleaning        mop
Cleaning        toothbrush
Cleaning        Q-tips
Cleaning        toothpicks
Cleaning        dental picks
Cleaning        bore brush
Cleaning        oil
Cleaning        rag
Cleaning        squib rod
Cleaning        bore snake
Information        exploded diagram
Parts        spare grips
Parts        screws
Parts        springs
Parts        other (bolt, hand, ratchet, etc)
Reloading        mould
Reloading        bullet lube
Reloading        sizer
Reloading        dies
Reloading        reloading tool
Tool        screwdriver
Tool        hammer

All of this fits in a watertight, airtight ammo can which means it can pretty much go anywhere although obviously you dont carry all this with you unless youre moving onto a new Area of Operations. But, if you came back to your flooded out house in Alabama or your submerged garage in Mississippi you could dig this thing out of the muck, crack it open, and some of the tension leave your body as you saw all that nice, dry, safe, usable ammo and support gear for your pistol. (And, actually, I keep one of the 'extra'/'spare' Model 10s in the can too.)

This same line of thinking has to go to , for example, my Coleman lanterns…something like this:
Lighting        Lantern         Coleman fuel        Carrycase       
Lighting        Lantern         Coleman fuel        Globe        #690A048
Lighting        Lantern         Mantles        #21A122 or #21A104       
Lighting        Lantern         Propane        Carrycase       
Lighting        Lantern         Propane        Globe        #214A0461
along with propane, Coleman fuel, funnels, etc, etc, etc.

The point, which I am slowly and quite inefficiently hammering to death, is that important gear does not stand alone..it needs to have all the support you can give it in the form of spare parts, accessories, etc. Either have the spare parts for repair/maintenace or have an entire duplicate of the item. Better to have both. (”One is none, two is one”) So think about the important stuff you have – the cookstove, the lantern, the Jeep, the AR-15, the Danner boots – and think what spares and maintenance parts you need and get them.

Finally, before I stop flogging this deceased equine, I will say that having spares and parts has already served me well. When the BunkerBabe lost a spring out of her AR, a quick trip to the 40mm can full of AR support gear kept us from losing a functional AR from our battery. Having spare flectar parkas kept her warm at a shooting class when she discovered one in the box of the truck. You get the idea?
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I want to quickly mention that at no point am I calling myself an expert or authority here. Im only telling what I've done or am doing and your mileage may vary…significantly. Lotsa folks do things differently and those ways may be worse, same or better. Im just speaking for myself and making suggestions off of my own experiences. I've been somewhat following the 'survivalist movement' since it started in the 1980's and had a mild interest up through the '90s when I got involved in it much more seriously…so, I've got some background but definitely not an expert.
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The BunkerBabe has set policy that we must acquire 1,000 rounds of ammo per month. I can agree with this. If money is tight, 1k of .22 LR is $20..and when things are going well 1k of 9mm is about $120. But, boy, there very little more satisfying then seeing a shelf loaded down with plenty of ammo…except the shelves in a pantry loaded down with yummy long term food.
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Speaking of food, it is my understanding that if you are in New Orleans the MRE's are free for the taking. You cannot begin to imagine how jealous I am of that. Seriously.