WTSHTF preperation.

So far, here is a list i've compiled of things that are (to me) a must have, in one way or another.

Guns and ammo. I currently do not own any gun. I am actually looking into a 12g shotgun. It is about $180 or so, for a standard model, off-brand. Shells are cheap.

Daily medication you, or your family may require. Extra pain meds, morphine ( if possible) You do not need to break something or get a severe laceration and not have any prescription strength pain medication on hand. Bandages, materials for splints, etc, etc. As much as you can carry. A pharmacy would be one of my first stops ( assuming martial law was in effect) to gather needed items.

Bottled water, water filters and water purification items.

Fuel, if possible. Local gas stations would be dry in a matter of days.

In this day and age, storing mass quantities of gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, if not hidden. Gather attention and you might have the authorities to answer too. If you have the property and no neighbors for a good 10-20 miles. I'd say bury it, in 55 galloon drums. It will also be harder for others to steal, if they can't see it.

Misc Items - Flashlights, batteries, a few radios, a few amature radios, a power supply and antenna for said radios. Candles, Glow sticks, tent, sleeping bags, survival knives, hand axe, toilet paper, walkie-talkies, portable heaters, anything solar powered that can help you survive. Personal hygiene products.

Most of the stuff i listed is common sense and i am pretty sure you guys/gals have this down to a science.

I am on a fixed income, I have some of the items listed above, but not as much as i would like. That is why i think it is very important, to make friends with others who are also or have already prepared.

If anyone has any suggestions, regarding inexpensive firearms, feel free to post.

reply to post by phrankie79


Well prepared, that's good. You might want to get some fishing equipment and
Maps, compasses. You never know if you might have to travel far.

reply to post by Mr. D


I do have fishing equipment, and a few compases.

The only problem with this type of preperation is the cost. You can get most of these items fairly cheap, but others are going to cost you and that is why i do not have them, as of yet.

I suggest you get some shells to go with that shotgun for hunting.

Survival is my specialty. One thing you need to be prepared for is 'Being ready to Move'. You can have a thousand cans of food, 90 days worth of water, but it does no good if you aren't able to move it if you have to. I would suggest learning some "How To" techniques for if you have to hit the road. Who knows? You may not be able to use a vehicle if an EMP hits. Here's my short list of things to gather and learn.

*Compass and Maps (have fall back coordinates listed in a little black book of places you know that would be ideal if (a) the cities become too dangerous (b) a virus goes pandemic (c) civil unrest and a war breaks out (d) etc etc. Places you might have gone camping, caverns you know of, these are all good places should the SHTF.

*Seeds. When the food runs out, be ready to make your own. Seeds are light weight. Make sure you leave 60-80 days for these seeds to grow.

*Books on regional vegetation are useful in letting you know whats edible and what's NOT to be used as toilet paper. They're also key in discovering which plants have medicinal value as well.

*A good field knife is a must as is a wet stone to keep said knife sharp. A good knife can create new weapons, and is a ubiquitous tool.

*If you have to move, move to a place with good and multiple water sources. If its inland, you can fish from one water sources and place these fish in your secondary water source, keeping the fish population up (I.E. over populate your 2nd source so that fishing becomes easy and efficient.) The depopulation of the 1st source will help keep the water cleaner and easy to purify.

*Learn to make your own charcoal for water filtration. Eventually the tablets and filters will run out or wear out, and you'll need to make your own charcoal. Sounds easy, but sizable, perfect charcoal is tough to come by if you don't know how to get it.

*Gather everything. Once your perma-camp is established, you'll want to let the scavenging begin. Everything has value to someone. Even if you don't need it, it may be tradable to someone else. Money has no more value, but some .45 bullets to a gun you don't have may be valuable to someone willing to trade food for those bullets.

*GET A GAS MASK! A lot of people think this is extreme, but they tend to forget what death smells like. Just the scent of rotting corpses can make you physically ill, and you'll be encountering this smell during scavenging, and exploration for the next few years. Should the SHTF via a viral outbreak or nuclear attack, you'll be thanking me. Not to mention fire fighters have told me that so many people wish they'd of had a gas mask in the home during a fire. "A child might have been saved if the parent had a gas mask to breath through the fumes."

*Remain Human: Simple things like keeping a calendar can be the difference between keeping your sanity or going Bat-$h!t and trying to eat your family. Another good psychological booster is a Police Badge. You can buy one on Amazon for dirt cheap. Having someone in your camp voted as a resident "sheriff" and pinning a badge on that person can instill a great deal of security and comfort to the masses.

*Other than that.... Good Luck.

reply to post by Mactire


"Having someone in your camp voted as a resident "sheriff" and pinning a badge on that person can instill a great deal of security and comfort to the masses. "

Just be VERY VERY careful with that. Authority is another word for power, and power corrupts. Just look at the "Stanford prison experiment" and you should see what I mean.

A bugout bag is the first place I'd say ppl need to start, sometimes just nature
can be rather unforgiving, I'll list mine at the end of this.

Bug out bags vary, but focus on what I call the core 5 survival needs:

1) Knowledge of it all
2) Self Defense - hunting guns are less likely to be seized than ones that appear military
3) Shelter - primitive methods, portable, and info from Ki4u.com
4) Water - ways to get clean water from the wlderness low tech, filters will run out
5) Food - snares and traps are illegal because they work too well

There is a tremendous amount of detail under the above listed 5 and I am not a survival
instructor. I'd say the best knowledge wise is likely Ray Mears and Hoods Woods.

Some good info to be had from the show Dual Survival as well.

Bear Grylls takes a LOT of risks that could easily have you end up dead and
I put his show in adventurism due to that, but he does often show some good info.

The risks he takes puts him outside what textbook survival is all about.

The SAS survival handbook is good to look over, and Mel Tappan's book On Survival
is consdered a good book in the venue.

Some good info here, but I'd say you need to have a bugout bag and consider the concept
of having to walk away from all the stored goodies.

If a large armed mob is coming your best bet is to not be there or hide very well.

Personally I am not willing to bet my "Hide and go Seek" skills against a large mob
roaming what could be the post apocalypse wastelands, manmade or nature made.

If you have a vehicle that can ran after a CME or EMP then you might be able to drive away,
and come back later to see if the buried drums of fuel got dug up.

CME comes from the sun, and has happened here in the US back in the time of the telegraph
and this was when the Earth's magnetic field was stronger, it is a bit weaker now as it is
likely a Geomagnetic Reversal is under way "right now" and could become more obvious
in a few more decades. Its happened many times before.

en.wikipedia.org...

EMP comes from a nuclear weapon typically and it would just take one of moderate size at
high altitude over the center of the US to wipe out most modern vehicle electronics.

en.wikipedia.org...

A Faraday cage will protect your gear as long as you don't have any wire sticking out of it.

Ammo cans work for this for the most part, but I'd still take more precautions.

At some point you might get robbed and live thru it, so it is a good idea to have a hidden cache
of basic survival gear NOT near your obvious storage places.

Special Forces caching techniques is mentioned in the military manuals website.

www.globalsecurity.org...

If you have a building or vehicles, etc etc someone will be coming to check them out
likely after dark. Nightvision works great while it works but it often breaks, and runs
on batteries that will not last forever. You can stockpile those too and way to charge
them off grid but at some point you will end up with some much stuff you can't carry it all
very easily.

I have for the most part taken a low tech and high reliability approach.

Stainless steel or if u got money to burn titanium gear, so it will not rust.

Ebay, Amazon, and Craigslist are cheap ways to get your stuff.

I personally focused on what I can carry out on my back and stash some stuff at potential RZ
and have it well hidden.

If you are going to need long term medicine you might research into herbal remedies that will work,
a lot of medicine requires a cool dry place to be stored for a good length of time.

I recommend a root cellar for the same reason wine cellars were used ages ago to keep wine
at a cool steady temperature, it lasts much longer and if the grid goes down like it has
in normal times you are ok with your stored good at steady 59 degrees for awhile.

Here is my list, sorry for the novel, hope it helps someone with what is most likely headed our way
at some point in the not too distant future.

01) water purification USP sublimated iodine 1 oz bottles (2) *** done ***
also for ppl allergic to shellfish 4 oz of bleach in small carry tube, and eyedropper *** done***
10 drops of bleach per gallon per online site for water purification.
SODIS water purification plans *** done***
en.wikipedia.org...
plans for a small solar still using the solar oven method *** done ***

02) multi-tool pocket knife , stainless steel so it wont rust *** done ***

03) camo mosquito/ insect netting suit *** done ***

04) Backpack with lots of pouches and 2 water bottles.

05) 8' x 12' tarp with brass eyelets *** done ***

06) Weapons: 30-06 with Mil Dot scope *** done ***
(bought a laser boresight for 30-06 and boresighted )
.22 LR 10/22 Ruger, .45 ACP ( .45 will be in holster .22 LR in hands )
.30-06 will be near RZ site along with most of the ammo.

07) crank insulation tester, aka megger *** done ***

08) lensatic compass & water proof directions *** done ***

09) fishing line, hooks, and bobbers *** done ***

10) backpack *** done ***

11) crank LED flashlight/AM/FM radio/cell charger *** done ***

12) water proof insulated boots, durable wool socks *** done ***

13) gerber folding hand saw *** done ***

14) 12volt dc power inverter - 400 watt - bought from friend *** done ***
may upgrade this to higher wattage

15) waterproof container - full of matches & 3 fire steel striker rods
*** done *** bread bag compressed with 8 oz. dryer lint.
indian wood bow method works well too ...
NOTE - making a fire in the rain is tough, pack some Vaseline for assist.*** done ***

16) strong binoculars 16x or better *** done ***
bought bushnells

17) food - cheap , long shelf life - *** done ***
Will store long term shelf life rice, cached near RZ.

18) Desiccant for ammo cans - *** done *** will be at RZ site

19) pocket microscope - *** done *** will be at RZ site

20) 500 ft. - 28 ga. galv. steel snare wire - *** done ***

21) Texsport Folding Pick/Shovel/saw - bass pro *** done ***

22) snake/poison kit - bass pro *** done ***

23) knife sharpeners *** done ***

24) israeli gas mask with airtight drinking ability *** done ***
$20 at maine military supply ( not the best mask there is )

25) victorinox swiss stainless steel bayonet(no rust knife) *** done ***

26) US army M7 bayonet (ferrous can use as striker) *** done ***

27) full CDV -777 geiger counter set *** done *** will be at RZ site

28) several 1 gallon ziplock bags - storage & mini evap. water collection devices - *** done ***

29) wiki books, survival info, wikipedia backup on DVD-r - *** done *** will be at RZ site and SD card copies carried.

30) aluminum foil for: - solar oven - solatubes - weak EMP shielding if done right *** done ***

31) non Genetic modified seed packs, getseeds.net pk plus
8,000 carrot seeds & amaranth *** done ***

32) battery hydrometer - for 12 volt systems we plan to setup
*** done ***

33) Hard copy pocket SAS survival guide in water proof container *** done ***

34) speedy all, easy all - sewing tools for leather and hides *** done***

35) wind belt - 12 vdc and volt regulator *** done*** will be at RZ site

36) natural remedy - anti fungal *** done***

37) p-38/p-51 or real can opener *** done***

38) battery recharger - triple a's for pocket microscope - D's for geiger and ionization meter *** done*** at RZ site

39) 300 yards of 550 para cord *** done ***

40) 100 ft. of nylon rope *** done ***

41) Gun cleaning kits - will be at RZ *** done ***

42) Sextant - and instructions *** done***

43) Spherical Trigonometry instructions *** done ***
plans for an Armillary Sphere as well

44) Trash bags, heavy duty thick mil, work as water proofing or poncho, seal in heat *** done***

45) stainless steel cooking gear *** done ***

46) common edible/medicinal plant list laminated for this region *** done***

47) 1 set of rugged clothes in backpack, 2 at RZ. *** done ***

48) 2 packs of playing cards *** done ***

49) backup pair of eyeglasses *** done ***

50) Wool blanket(warm when wet), foam sleeping mat *** done ***

51) Sleeping bag, 0 degrees F rated *** done ***

52) fishnet style hammock *** done *** ( double as a ghillie )

53) Body armor - Torso carrier and class III plates and pads ( in vehicle only using if it gets ugly )
*** done *** (Class IV plates can be had on Ebay for $99 a plate, got my level 3's damn near for free.)


If it is time to move fast to get away some of this will have to be hidden
and or left behind to get away.

Consider making an earth sheltered shelter like a WW2 bunker and hide it with
debris and plant matter, or finding a cave you can conceal in cold weather
if you are worried about roaming brigands or worse.

It should stay at 59 degrees unless we get Arctic conditions and the permafrost line
moves much further south, making a fire could be a "dead" giveaway.

As I said above this is not all these is to this, and the bugout list will be different
for different ppl.

Good Luck to all the good ppl !!!

Originally posted by Swordbeast
reply to post by Mactire

 

"Having someone in your camp voted as a resident "sheriff" and pinning a badge on that person can instill a great deal of security and comfort to the masses. "

Just be VERY VERY careful with that. Authority is another word for power, and power corrupts. Just look at the "Stanford prison experiment" and you should see what I mean.

I agree. Like the old Knight from 'Indiana Jones: the Last Crusade' stated "Choose, but choose wisely." But an authoritative figure is necessary for some to feel secure, and for some to feel motivated to act (which is another important part of survival. The ability to act) Many won't/can't move unless someone gives them a direction to move. The sheople of the world need a shepherd. Its a sad sad fact.

whoops, disregard this

Prepare carefully placed supply burial sites on various routes, packed with only the essentials tailored to your various shtf scenario; you can keep resupplying as you travel to your bunker/bug out place/mother in laws.

Another essential part of any kit would also be suicide capsules in my opinion, nothing heroic about starving to death in a doomed apocolyptic wasteland is there?.

Also the most expensive lock picks you can afford, and a pocket sized lock pick book to brush up on technique.

A cheap 400cc four stroke dirt bike; and maybe a makeshift fuel syphoning kit such as drill, funnel, long hose.
Couple of tubes of axle grease for protecting metal from the elements/ general lubing of stuff.
Pellet gun .25, stock up on cheap very alcoholic drinks ie half dozen bottles, for wound sterilization/pain relief/ starting fires. And clingfilm/plasticwrap. Ingrediants to ferement more alcohol. A small fishing boat would be cheap and useful.

Apologies if these ideas have already been mentioned,

Thanks for the replies. Some very useful information. Thank you for taking the time to type it.

Some of those items i would have never thought of. I hope once i get some extra money to myself i will be able to start with a bug-out-bag for now and move onto some of the others.

Whether, or not anything happens gathering these items, reading, and learning survival techniques etc, is one hell of a cool hobby. There is nothing wrong with being prepared.

The people who think it is crazy are going to be the same people banging on your door begging for food and water.

Have any of you considered a meet up place if anything does happen? They say power in numbers, or would it be too dangerous?

More than anything else, learn skills. If the stuff gets really bad for a prolonged period, all those things will run out or will be hard to transport over long distances.

Frankly, my philosophy is live like an early settler/ mountain man... I say "like Gran' Daddy." Basically, good boots, a good rifle or shotgun, an axe, ropes, assortment of knives, a cast iron frying pan, a couple of tarps, ...hmmm, and the basics...matches, wind-up radio, first aide kit, etc.

Trust no one except the closest family. Avoid good roads...I figure power line right of ways work best for ease of travel. And have a destination... know where you are going and why.

But skills...good old fashioned boy scout skills will keep you alive...and unless you are already settled in an ideal set up... stay mobile.

OK ,. these threads in the survival,.. whats up?
Just what are you prepping for?
there really isn't anything that indicates a concern,.
Please elaborate,... WHY

reply to post by Lil Drummerboy


Hey Drummer. Nothing specific. How can anyone know what may, or may not happen? Basic and total preperation that can/will help you survive most if not all disaster scenarios.

reply to post by Lil Drummerboy


We have a family friend..a young woman of about 22 staying with us...we are watching Jaws...she has never seen it. Really I asked...really.

You ask why the concern...there are no indicators....really I ask...you say really.

Like I asked the family friend..."Where have you been?"

Let's see... devalued dollar, mass unemplyment with no soon hope of reversal, China rattling its sabers, N Korea rattling its sabers, Iran rattling its sabers, Fed induced inflation to fight mass deflation....equals an unstable currency and thusly an unstable economy...equals mass desperation and possible civil unrest... plus, mass distrust of the government at a level that I haven't seen since the late '60s and 70's... really.

Originally posted by phrankie79
Thanks for the replies. Some very useful information. Thank you for taking the time to type it.

Some of those items i would have never thought of. I hope once i get some extra money to myself i will be able to start with a bug-out-bag for now and move onto some of the others.

Whether, or not anything happens gathering these items, reading, and learning survival techniques etc, is one hell of a cool hobby. There is nothing wrong with being prepared.

The people who think it is crazy are going to be the same people banging on your door begging for food and water.

Have any of you considered a meet up place if anything does happen? They say power in numbers, or would it be too dangerous?

edit on 18-10-2010 by phrankie79 because: comma trauma

Large numbers of humans tend to end up going mob mentality.

Usually someone wants to exert authority and lead the group, often this is more
about testosterone than brains.

In a grid down post apocalypse wasteland I want to go on brains vs. hormones.

Lot of ppl have said that a small to medium size group that shares a lot of common values
is the best bet, and to try to keep the power tripping freaks out of their group.

As for "if any of this will happen" it already has in history so good odds it will again.

Good odds some ppl will not be banging on your door for food, they will sneaking in
while you sleep or shoot you from a distance.

In a situation where it is you or them that starves some ppl will greatly resemble animals.

I have seen what our politicraps, wall street thieves, and corporate criminals have foisted
on the world in good times and have a pretty good idea they won't be any nicer in the
bad times that look to be likely in the coming months or years.

At any time one of the several super volcanoes could let lose, and have a global impact
like the one 74,000 years ago that caused the genetic bottleneck, known as Toba.

A large CME could knock down the electrical grid on one side of the planet.

WW3 could move from its current smoldering stage into all out war.

Every 50 - 100 years a global pandemic sweeps the world.

U99 wheat rust is having a major impact on the crops, but some hybridization
of seeds may turn the tide in that battle.

One a regional level for just the US...

Former president carter has said the US is more polarized than its been since
the Civil War and I tend to agree, and major unrest is possible if certain events occur.

Great Depression part 2 and Hyperinflation look possible if we do not change the
way we run this country. I blame both parties in this deal as both were involved
in creating it and anyone saying otherwise is lying just like Bill Maher.

Go argue with a history book Mr. Maher.

There is a strange movement brewing the Southwest US called Reconquista for
the establishment of a new nation called Aztlan, check it out on youtube, its disturbing.

Mexico near the border has turned into a Narco State and good odds it will escalate.

Eisenhower warned us about the military industrial complex but they took over anyways
and JFK, his brother, MLK and others have been silenced.

Due to this medium a lot of information that is less known has been coming out, and
if the ppl manage to waken from their slumber they will not be happy with what this
nation has become.

Athens Georgia happened right here in the US.

www.americanheritage.com...

I have been preparing to head for the hills mostly for this event as I see its possible
if a few things get out of hand.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

Good Luck to all the good ppl !!!

good thread .... I've been stocking up for some time... I think most of the reply's give good advice.

With the exception of the Law Enforcement Badge & the Suicide Pills

Wearing a Badge in a SHTF scenario would be tantamount to Painting a Bulls Eye on your Chest....

where i live in the states the Local PD is known to be 1 of the most militaristic in the country.... real jocked up mouth breathers itching to exercise there Sheriff of Nottingham Authority ..... So NO thanks on that....

I think I'll look for a like minded survivalist with brains ....
IMO...anyone wearing a badge trying to implement authority will just end up a lead magnet, and I don't want that near me

Suicide Pills.... really

It would seem to me if your gonna carry those why bother stockpiling anything else? When SHTF just pop your tick tacks and No Worry's

Any Trained Survivalist will tell you half of surviving any scenario is Stay Calm and above all Keep a Positive Mindset.... can do, can do, Never Give Up...Never Surrender..... Identify, Adapt, and Overcome !

Survival is just that....surviving

Nothing Heroic about it.....

reply to post by spoonbender


I totally agree with what you say about maintaining a positive mindset, but the suicide pills are realy a last resort.
These wouldn't be for a situation such as the government declaring martial law or if a foreign power invaded, but would be used in situations when existance would be less preferable then death, ie a trans-global nuclear holocaust or something similar. A future that would be so bleak that it would be impossible to draw anything positive from your day to day existance, doesn't sound like something any sane person would wan't to be part of. It's all well and good saying you'll endeavour to survive any and all eventualities from The S hitting the fan, but to me survival has no purpose other then for you to rebuild your life and move forward; if there was no possibility of that then what could you possibly accomplish.

Imagine all the worlds water irradiated, all life completely wiped out. You emerge from your fallout shelter after years hiding away, your skin instantly starting to blister from the lethal levels of radiation. The world is now dark from radioactive fallout smog in the air, the earth nothing more then a parched barren wilderness.
The majority of the worlds population dead,all wildlife dead, the ecosystem almost completely gone, and the minute number of true survivalists like you scattered around seperated by hundreds of miles of nothing, living off a finite supply of tinned food. Something would still be left probably small single celled organisms that could adapt to the acid rain and lethal radiation, but even this would take thousand of years to flourish. The time of man would be over.
The sheer hubris of anyone attempting to survive in such a situation would as you would probably agree would be laughable, ergo suicide tablets
.

reply to post by ahoote


Okay ...I hear ya

a good movie for the scenario you describe is called " The Road" with Viggo Mortensen IMDB I thought this was pretty decent representation of how things may play out. Although this movie got next to NO promotion in the USA, and was in theaters for about a week if that. One word to describe it .... Gritty

I just think if its so bleak there are easier ways to do 1's self in rather than cyanide pills. Writhing around on the ground convulsing and foaming @ the mouth.....not for me. Some thing quicker or a little slower and more peaceful I think....

makes me shutter

Good lists guys, difficult to say something that hasn’t been said already. I would really stress research on survival and self defence techniques, now while you can.

Also, condoms!