What are preparing for?

Enough food and water more than enough other odds and ends depending on the issue. 90 days easy more and the winter might get tough but the hideaway is 6 hours on a good day so I have a couple of stashes along the way. Ammo boxes are wonderful things.
Current issue is I'm only 80 miles from Chicago

a reply to: mysterioustranger


I completely agree. I have already had the talk with my family and we have specific plans in such a case.

a reply to: galadofwarthethird

I'm ready. Molon Labe.

I didn't post any of my security efforts. That's a great big surprise for everyone who wants to crash my party. I've got door prizes, a gift bag for each last-minute guest, and a special-effects extravaganza for all comers. The theme is "poker night", and it's scored to Motohead's "Ace of Spades."

a reply to: Nickn3

Hello from Maryville, neighbor.

Got my brain, such as it is. Got knowledge to go with it. Tools so as to be able to make use of the formers.

Shelter? I has it. If not, I can build it. Won't be five star, but it'll be dry and warm.

Food? I store some. But I can also grow it, raise it, and hunt it. Done it for most of my life.

Water? Easily enough found, if you know what you're doing...I do. Once found, easily enough made safe if you know what to do.

All of these are skills that can be learned, many of them take practice, but it's practice you can do in your own back yard, your kitchen, you needn't go out back of Beyond to do this.

Have a plan, but also realize that survival is a battle--you against the elements, you against others who want what you've got, hopefully not, but it's a possibility, and plans seldom survive past the first encounter with the enemy. So you have to practice, so when that plan goes fubar, as it almost inevitably will, you can adapt on the fly.

To answer the question: The thing I worry, if that's the right word, most about is social unrest. It'll be temporary in all likelihood, but I have to be able to either fort up, or go mobile. I'm somewhat prepared to do both. Or a combination of the two.

I practice being adaptable to the situation.

I'm not really prepping for anything but I have a ton of supplies. I have enough fishing and hunting equipment to survive the Apocalypse. I was taught how to live off the land since I was a kid. I do it for fun nowadays but I could do it full time if need be. I have about a months supply of food and water. I also have a nuclear fallout shelter at the end of my street. It was built in the 1950's under a school. The school was shut down years ago. I could be underground in under 10 minutes. If WW3 happened I'd probably be the only thing alive around here besides cockroaches.

If society were to collapse into chaos I'd grab my gear and head north. Parts of northern Michigan are pretty desolate. If I could get into Canada I'd go even further north. There isn't a whole lot of civilization above Lake Superior.

a reply to: wantsome

Just out of curiosity, have you tried to get into that fallout shelter??

Just curious, a friend of mine has a brother who's an Urban archaeologist in Germany, or a cousin...anyway, some of the things that they've found are kinda interesting.

originally posted by: KTemplar
a reply to: mysterioustranger


I completely agree. I have already had the talk with my family and we have specific plans in such a case

Bad as this sounds...I have supplies, skills etc....but in the...if it came down to it? Personally, I keep 4 45cal. rounds in case the worst....

1 round for the dog, 1 for my kid, 1 for my wife...the last one for me.

God....I PRAY it never comes...but it's a twisted, hate filled world we live in....to resort to that..

a reply to: mysterioustranger


You should seriously reconsider that stance.

Things do get bleak; untold thousands of your ancestors starved to death, perished in epidemics, were slaughtered after months of being hopelessly trapped in besieged cities, etc.

But your bloodline has carried on through the centuries; unremembered dozens of your own forebears survived Shipwrecks, wars, volcanic eruptions, servitude, all kinds of grief. Even when their own spouses and children gave up on them, they didn't give up on themselves. You come from a long line of survivors.

Hardly anyone in America starved to death in the Great Depression. They jumped out of Windows, sure. But crime plummeted. Everybody lost 30 pounds. But fewer people starved than in the decade before it. Pity the fools who jumped out of the windows of Manhattan skyscrapers, merely because their stock portfolio was zeroed out. Their slips of paper were now just... Slips of paper.

People did starve in Germany during the great depression. In droves. That's why the fascists were popular. They gave people bread and work. Millions Survived though. And even survived their country being crushed in a Second World War.

You have a mission. To make sure your people survive, even if you don't. It's up to you to see that they make it to the next 'land of opportunity.' The next California. The next Texas, or Klondike or our first colony on another world or whatever it's going to be. It's up to you to make sure that kid has a spot on the life boat, that somebody gives him their oxygen mask, then somebody gets him aboard that last helicopter taking off from the embassy roof.


It's what your here for. It's why God made you a man, with balls and a violent violent nature, and a dangerous, malevolent brain that could plot revenge; or an escape attempt, or at least dream up a distraction while the others make a break for it.

The definition of manhood.

a reply to: seagull

I went to elementary school there and the principal had me carry some boxes down into it. I didn't know it was a fallout shelter until I talked to my grandmother about it. When they were building it my grandmother played in it when she was a kid. The entrance is behind 2 sets of locked doors that could be broken into with a crowbar.

The fallout shelter is actually connected to a bunch of other fallout shelters in the area via tunnels. The Tunnels span a mile or two. I'm from the Detroit area. Back in the 50's Detroit was a major target for the Russians in the event of a nuclear attack. We have the auto industry a military base and tank building facilities along with a bunch of other manufacturing that could be converted in the event of a war.

Back during the cold war the local news was reporting that my area would be ground zero for an attack. They specifically said the two cross streets a mile away from my house.

Even though Detroit isn't what it use to be we still have a ton of manufacturing and a lot of factories not being used that could be started up. I'm not talking about the inner city that people see pictures and video of. The Detroit metro area spans 50 miles and we have factories everywhere. I'm pretty sure in the event of a nuclear war we're high on the list of targets.

I remember the cold war and I always felt the threat of nuclear war was still a possibility. Especially the with the stuff going on in Syria between the US Israel Syria and Russia. Putin makes me nervous. I'm street smart I learned the ability to read people growing up. Putin is a dead eyed ex kgb killer and I see in his mannerisms. The though we're on opposing sides of a conflict in the same country has me on edge. I think we're one step away from a miscalculation that could cost humanity big time. I don't think people understand the seriousness of the situation.

a reply to: mysterioustranger

Why?

Provided it isn't an e.l.e. of some sort, this too shall pass.

Granted bad things could happen, but that's not an ironclad certainty. The Great Depression here in the states is a prime example.

My parents were in the their teens during the height of the Great Depression, living in small town/rural Eastern Washington. My Mom in the Okaganogan country, and my Dad along the Columbia river just up river from Portland, about 80 miles or so. They made due with what they had, and helped, and were helped by, their neighbors as necessary.

The US president at the time said it best, I'm paraphrasing here so bear with me, "There's nought to fear, save fear itself.".

I have this urge to completely go deep into this doomsday preppers for some reason... any good website to check out? Or stores for such people?

a reply to: tovenar

It comes down to basics: what is out there once we survive? How many who WERENT prepared...are waiting to take ours from us?

This poses the question: To WHAT world are we surviving for?

On the outside, looks at it like a "ghoul-type-cartoonish" apocalypse.

Not fantasy, movie or video game....but real, desperate people who will kill you, your children and take what you have and they don't.

It's reality.Weapons? How long can you fight...and against how many.

WCScenario and your nice little old neighbor lady would kill you for water...

Just ask yourself: What are we surviving FOR? And to what kind of world?

Shelters, supplies and plans only means so much for so long. Remember most of the world is not prepared...tho you and I are.

And this is coming from a 1st Responder who will be there for you...unless and until someone kills me for my rig and supplies.

Think the best, prepare for the worst...and what to do when/if all is lost.

I'll respond and help till I can't anymore....but all should anticipate others... desperate...ready to take from you.

It's foolhardy to think we all be ok, when in fact it could be much more dire.

Thanks for reading this.....Best

3rd year living at B.O.L. - party favors for those making unwise choices for sure. Rest of it can best be described with the word "independent" and that's all one needs to know and strive for in their own preps.

Alliance with like minded is wise and one should set mutual aid and comm plans in case parties get out of hand.

It's big surprise when party goers retreat is cut off.

Global cooling ,when all the crops start failing ,livestock dying ,mass starvation and not a thing you can do, unless you PRE -Pared ,the Economic collapse [Depression ] inevitable due to the record world wide debt etc ,Electromagnetic pulse ,Nuclear episode of some description, or some other False Flag to kick off The One World Government ,The phone face huggers and snow flakes will be the first to go, with their ''MOI '' me ,I , and ego, and sense of entitlement ,when the they cant use their phone [security blanket] they will sit in the gutters crying and carrying on that their little world has ended .Being little lefties and socialists at heart, will of course expect the [mummy] Government to help them out ,who WONT !!!!! being the perfect opportunity for the Government to thin out the masses .Then of course, the Anarchy, mobs taking from the ''haves'' ,and while they are at it, raping etc as a ''bonus'' ,if you are not armed ,accept the fact this will happen to you and you're family, and you can ''live'' with that .Makes you wonder when you hear these naïve Do Gooders saying they don't ,and wont be armed when there is a major meltdown. when they have a wife and four young daughters ,if you don't prepare ,face the fact NO ONE will help YOU !!!!!!!

a reply to: Ghostsinthefog

I don't know I'd call it doomsday preppers as much as it is being prepared in general. I don't think hoarding stockpiles is the answer in the long term either.

What's important are hunting skills, fishing skills, farming skills, ranching skills, basic construction skills and being comfortable with tools to work with both wood and metal.

The most prepared will be those who grew up in a rural environment, who are prepared without prepping or any need to prep. For the city folk, it will be hard road and they will not do well unless at some point during their lives they took the time and effort to learn at least basic skills.

You can't learn it from a book or watching survival shows which seem to be in most cases people who are not the real deal to begin with.

The real thing will be nothing like doomsday movies or post apocalyptic movies. The same backbone this country has now will be the ones who make it and help those who can't do it on their own make it. The ranchers and farmers and their families will thrive, not survive.

Hiding a bunch of goods in the woods will not be all that helpful. Having the right skills and experience will determine who survives if the # hits the fan. A combination of keeping a stash for emergencies and having the skills is the answer. A hoard is of little use if you can't survive when it runs out.

Those in the cities are sitting ducks. That's where the horror stories will unfold as the rural communities come together and thrive.

a reply to: mysterioustranger


I get it! We plan on heading to the haunted campground for one last get together and carbon monoxide out. Of course, that is worse case scenario, and even if we make it there.

Going on our terms together is better than dying at the hands of desperate madmen.

originally posted by: KTemplar
a reply to: mysterioustranger


I get it! We plan on heading to the haunted campground for one last get together and carbon monoxide out. Of course, that is worse case scenario, and even if we make it there.

Going on our terms together is better than dying at the hands of desperate madmen.

You know? I'm gonna respond no matter...we need to be prepared and always ready....though no one knows what to do when it's all gone and we climb out to an unknown world...no matter the reason.

We say prepare...be self sufficient...but not what to do when it's all gone, hunting and fishing and breathing ruined or polluted ..or just all gone...

a reply to: Ghostsinthefog

I am doing some prepping because in 1993 I was caught off guard and learned a lesson. I live in Des Moines Iowa and in July 1993 our city had a "100 Year Flood". Obviously, we all knew a flood was coming. But, being young and naïve, I did not take it seriously. I was also young and poor, and I just kinda thought it would be a 2 day inconvenience. Man, I had no idea. Anyway we did not have running water for 3 weeks! Day 1 taught me a lesson in how I had no idea how much water I needed....washing, drinking, pet water, hand washing clothes, bathing, and bucket flushing the toilet every once and a while. It went fast. Talk about a wake up call!

Anyway, in the years that followed, I learned home canning, food storage, and keeping a rotating supply of water. We can never know whats coming. I sure would be disappointed in myself if I haven't taken some kind of action to fend for myself. Yes some disaster could be so bad it wipes out all my efforts. But next time, I'll listen to warnings. And make decisions faster. And do what ever is necessary to keep myself in an advantage.

Food and water are always nice to have just in case.