How do I request my own FBI file?

Submit a Privacy Act request through the FBI's eFOIPA portal, or mail a signed letter with U.S. Department of Justice Certification of Identity Form DOJ-361 to the FBI's Record/Information Dissemination Section in Winchester, Virginia.

What information should I include?

Your full name, mailing address, aliases, date and place of birth, Social Security number, former addresses, and details of any FBI contact or investigation you believe exists.

Is an FBI file the same as a rap sheet?

No. A rap sheet, called an Identity History Summary, is a criminal history check from the FBI's CJIS Division and costs $18. A Privacy Act request seeks investigative and other records about you.

Can the FBI refuse to release my file?

The FBI can withhold material under FOIA and Privacy Act exemptions, such as national security or ongoing law-enforcement records. You can appeal a denial to the Justice Department.

Can I request someone else's FBI file?

For a living person, generally only with their written consent on Form DOJ-361. Files on deceased people can be requested with proof of death.

How to Build a Year of Food Storage (Video Guide + Island Shopping List)

City Prepping’s step-by-step video on building a one-year food supply, plus our Jamaica-friendly list of shelf-stable staples and how to store them in tropical heat.

Video: “How to Build 1 Year of Food Storage - Ultimate Guide” by City Prepping on YouTube. Embedded for commentary; views expressed in the video are the creator's own.

Short answer: build long-term food storage in stages: two weeks, then three months, then a year. Store what you eat, keep it cool, dry and dark, and rotate it. City Prepping's guide above is one of the most-watched walkthroughs on the subject; here are the key ideas plus notes for hot climates.

What the video covers

According to its description, the video explains what you need to know to build a one-year food supply, including how temperature affects storage life and using oxygen absorbers matched to the food. Watch it for the full method and calculations.

The staged approach

Stage 1: two weeks

Extra canned goods and dry staples you already cook. No special equipment.

Stage 2: three months

Bulk rice, oats and beans; canned meat and fish; milk powder; cooking oil; salt and sugar. Track expiry dates.

Stage 3: a year

Long-life dry foods sealed in airtight food-grade containers, with a written inventory and rotation schedule.

Heat is the enemy

Storage life drops as temperature rises, a point the video stresses. In the Caribbean, keep stock in the coolest interior room, off the floor, away from sunlight, and in sealed containers against insects and humidity.

Balance the diet

Don't store only rice. Add protein (canned fish, corned beef, beans, peanut butter), fat, and milk powder so the supply is something your family can actually live on.

Stock the shelf: shelf-stable picks from our Jamaica store

Browse more pantry staples at jamaicaonlineshop.com, delivered islandwide in Jamaica.

Documented vs opinion

Documented: video details from City Prepping's YouTube description. Opinion: start small. A two-week pantry that you rotate is worth more than a year's supply you never finish building.

Sources

City Prepping, "How to Build 1 Year of Food Storage - Ultimate Guide," YouTube, Mar. 2021.
Ready.gov, Food: www.ready.gov/food

Frequently asked questions

How do I start a one-year food supply?

In stages: two weeks of extra staples first, then three months, then a year, always storing what you eat and rotating stock.

What foods store best?

Rice, oats, dried and canned beans, canned meat and fish, milk powder, peanut butter, salt, sugar and oil.

How do I store food in a hot climate?

Keep it in the coolest interior room, off the floor, out of sunlight and sealed against humidity and pests.