When temps tanked and everything failed in sequence—truck limp mode, frozen water line, clogged sewer, dead quad battery—the day still worked because…redundancies. This post turns one rough Oklahoma morning into a practical checklist you can copy: backup transport, layered water, staged food, power options, PACE comms, medical, shelter/heat, and neighborhood intel. Comfort is nice—capability keeps you alive.
The story (quick hits)
Truck throws codes → backup quad → backup-backup quad → skid steer if needed → worst case: cart + boots.
Rural water line blows → pull from frost-free spigot, filled cans, Berkey, IBC totes, pool, creeks.
Frozen sewer/toilet → spare toilets + outhouse/composting option.
Dead jump box? Charge it, then keep a second.
Why redundancies beat “comfort”
Comfort is fragile. Capability stacks: if Plan A fails, B/C/D keep the mission moving (feed the stock, heat the house, keep people safe).
Build your redundancy ladders
Transportation: truck → 2nd vehicle → ATV/UTV → cart/bike → boots.
Water: stored jugs → IBC totes → tub/waterBOB → pool/pond/creek + filter/boil.
Food: fridge → freezer → pantry 1 → pantry 2 (3–6 mo) → long-term storage (1+ yr) → garden/livestock/forage.
Power/Heat: grid → generator (properly wired) → solar portable → solar + batteries → wood/kerosene.
Shelter: proper clothing → house → vehicle sleep kit → BOL/spider points → tarp/wool blanket.
Comms (PACE): Phone → app (Signal/Zello) → VHF/UHF → HF/whistle/bell/shofar/runners.
Medical: EDC tourniquet → vehicle kit → home trauma bag → trained people.
Security: EDC light + plan → belt/plates → team SOPs → deterrence > gunfights.
Intel: area study baseline → neighbor net → daily logs & maps → verify before acting.
10-minute worksheet (do this today)
List YOUR A/B/C/D for: Transport, Water, Food, Power/Heat, Shelter, Comms, Medical, Security, Intel. Circle the weakest link; fix one thing this week.
Question…
What’s your most realistic water Plan B that doesn’t expose you at a choke point (river/pond access)? Share setups and lessons learned.