Redditors in the r/Preppers community have taken to sharing their experiences after natural disasters as a way to educate others.
One such tale involved a family of four who was without power for four days after Hurricane Milton made landfall Oct. 9 along the west coast of Florida. The storm was one of the most powerful on record, and recovery efforts are ongoing.
"Being prepared with plenty of non perishables and water was such a weight off my shoulders especially with a wife and kids," the poster wrote. "It allowed me to focus on other preparations that might not have been done had I needed to go out and grab food and water, not to mention dealing with everyone else doing the same."
🗣️ What supplies do you keep on hand in case of a blackout?
🔘 Just a flashlight 🔦
🔘 A few camping lanterns 😎
🔘 A full-on emergency kit 🆘
🔘 I don't have anything 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
They noted their electric work tools came in handy, providing batteries for fans to help keep things cool without power to support air conditioning.
An unexpected lesson also spurred them to warn others.
"Hygiene is more important than ever," the poster said, noting debris cleanup made them sweaty and created a swamp "where the sun don't shine." Raw skin or a rash in the wrong place can render you useless in a tough situation, and they recommended baby wipes, no-ride underwear, and petroleum jelly or healing ointments.
Other users agreed, noting butt paste, diaper rash cream, and similar products work wonders.
"Now that I've been 4 days without power, and have used a lot of my prep items, it has been quite satisfying to have the preparations work as intended and has helped me tweak or modify my current plans," the poster concluded, adding that it was well worth it to be prepared enough for the crisis to help their family and others.
"A lot of it is about making do with whatever is available," one comment said, endorsing a pocket shower as a wonderful tool "if you have enough stored water." They noted that you can "get really truly clean. And just having water that sprays like a shower [is] handy for a million different things."
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