[tom.wilson78]

I've got an RV that sits in storage down the road from where I live (within about 1-hour walking distance or less) and I'd like to begin preparing it as a BOV. I realize that in a true SHTF scenario unless I get out before the roads get jammed, this would make me a target. But assuming I could pull the RV away before things fell apart, how would you prep your RV? It's a 5th wheel and my truck sits in my driveway with the hitch already in the bed at all times, gassed up and ready to go.

Here are my thoughts on how I would set up my RV:

• Keep water in the storage tanks at all time. Be sure to rotate the sterilize them periodically: we take the RV out every 6 weeks or so and I figure if I dump/refill then, we'll be fine. Have a water filter handy (or some calcium hypochlorite) in the RV should the water go bad in the storage tanks and we need to drink the water.
• Keep the propane tanks topped off.
• Have a power source (i.e. generator or solar panels) so I can power the refrigerator and lights inside.
• Switch out the incandescent bulbs in the RV for LED if possible to save on power consumption.
• Keep dried food that can store well (think extreme temperatures both hot and cold) that also will not attract ants and rodents.
• Have gear on standby to toss in my truck if I have to go and hitch up the RV (items that won't store well in the RV like food).
• Keep blankets (or sleeping bags) in the RV.
• Keep tools in the RV, potentially even some other BOB's in the event we have to walk to the RV and don't have our own BOB's.
• Regarding firearms or ammunition, I don't think it would be prudent to store in here in the event of a break-in in the RV and not sure how well ammo would store out there where the temperatures get really high.
• Keep a key hidden on the outside of the RV in the event we have to walk to the RV from somewhere other than our home.
• Have a water filter handy in the RV should the water go bad in the storage tanks and we need to drink the water.

I could see the RV not only serving as a BOV but an off-site storage cache. When we go on family trips, I would dump the water out of the tanks and take out any boxes of storage items I have in the RV (to lighten the load and free up space).

I also mention storing food in the RV. What food would you recommend that could store well in extreme temperatures (both hold and cold) and ideally not attract ants?

I'm trying to consider every angle on how I could effectively use the RV from a prepper's perspective.