Posts Tagged ‘survival’

EMP – It Can Happen

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Does this sound like and excerpt from a novel?

The $h!t has hit the fan. A well financed terrorist group has hit the mother load. They have successfully launched a modified Scud short range ballistic missile hidden inside a specially designed freight container that was purposely placed on top of the stack aboard a container ship. It had left a foreign port and was now just off the east coast of the US, heading towards the Port Newark container terminal in New Jersey.

In a matter of minutes, the missile reached it’s detonation target 400 miles away, and 50 miles above the city of Cleveland, Ohio where a small nuclear warhead exploded. The resulting electro-magnetic-pulse, or EMP, instantaneously fried nearly all electronic devices within line-of-sight, about 700 miles, reaching well into Canada to Boston down the east coast to Jacksonville, and around over to Kansas City and Minneapolis. The nearly 1,400 mile diameter EMP blast zone covers the majority of the US population density as they are instantly sent into darkness as the electric power grid fails. A cascading effect coupled out beyond the blast radius, blows out the large custom made ultra high-voltage transformers all along the electric power grid network – sending all three of the major power grids of the entire US into blackout.

Still sounds like fiction? Think again. This is a real vulnerability, and one that would be absolutely devastating to our way of life, and one where our very survival would be threatened.

In such a scenario, where would you be safe? Who will be the most likely to survive and get through the disaster?

There would be so much damage to the electronic infrastructure, it could literally take many years to replace just the essentials such as the specially built custom power grid ultra high-voltage transformers which currently have a production lead time of two to three years. We would essentially be thrown back into the stone age. Most everyone would be on their own, with mostly no help from their disabled government. Nearly every vehicle within the initial zone will not start. Nearly all computers are fried. Financial information lost. Transportation systems are down. Water and sewage treatment systems are down. It is truly a nightmare scenario where hundreds of thousands, if not millions will surely lose their lives from the ensuing chaos and starvation.

Those who are living away from cities and population centers will have a better chance, especially those that have already stock-piled extra food (and water if there is none nearby). People that are already practicing some sort of partial self-sufficient life style will have an easier time adapting to a life without public and private infrastructure which brought the necessities of life to the masses.

Just stop and think about it for awhile. Just assume for a minute that such a disaster is plausible and pretend that it actually happened. Once you run out of food, how long will it be before you become very hungry, irritable, and then desperate?  The grocery stores will be looted nearly immediately. After a few days or a week I wouldn’t expect there to be much of anything available. Then what? Your internal instinct to survive will have kicked in, and you will begin to consider doing things that you otherwise wouldn’t, so that you can survive. Desperate times lead to desperate measures, including chaos and violence.

You will not be alone in this desperation. There will be millions of others. This will become extremely dangerous after a short period of time and further emphasizes that the best place to be under such a scenario will be far away from the dangers of desperate people. The further away you are from cities, the dangers will reduce exponentially, but will not reduce completely.

We hope that you take the time to think through this type of terrorist disaster, and others, while you think outside the box. The more you think about things outside the normal mainstream feeds, the more likely you are to take some sort of action that will hopefully lead to a better prepared life, or at least a state of mind where you will not be shocked or panicked should such a terrible disaster occur.

As they say, better safe than sorry.

Update, 29-Oct-2010, apparently a shipping container missile launcher now exists.



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A Hurricane Preparedness List

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Having a fresh look at preparedness when it comes to hurricanes, major storms, or really anything for that matter, is always beneficial. There are typically lots of overlapping preparedness items from one person’s list to another, and no one single list is necessarily better than another. So, I always find it helpful and useful to read other lists and very often come away with a new idea or two.

While reading this preparedness list, one category that caught my eye was ‘Entertainment’. While we so often focus only on the survival supplies (food, water, shelter, supplies, etc…), it is important not to forget about our state of mind and to consider things we can do, or bring with us, to relieve some of the stress of the situation. This is especially important for any children in the family.


The source of the following list is from a reader:

General Supplies

Use this list to help you collect items you’ll need during and after a storm.

• Pack a to-go bag: This overnight bag should be easy to take with you if you have to evacuate in a hurry and should include a change of clothes, bottled water, flashlight and important documents.
• Cash: ATMs and credit card machines may not work for a while after the storm.
• Battery-operated radio: Make sure you have extra batteries too, so that you can keep up with news reports and alerts. Hand-crank radios work well, too.
• Secure a two-week supply of prescription medicine: Anyone on prescription medications, as well as pregnant women, should pack a two-week supply of their meds in a sealable plastic bag, clearly labeled. Include instructions for taking the medications, too.
• Flashlight and lanterns: Make sure you have a couple of flashlights, candles, matches, lanterns and other alternate sources of light.
• Personal hygiene items: It might be hard to get to the store to buy toilet paper, tissues, soap and other sanitary items after the storm.
• Extra keys: Having an extra set of keys in your kit is a good idea in case people get separated or if they’re lost in a flood or the confusion.
• Pet items: Remember food, medicine and water for your pet, too.
• Disinfectant: You never know what mess you’ll have after a storm.
• Checklist: This printable checklist can serve as a guide for your own personal checklist. Give one to each family member to personalize.
• Extra batteries: You’ll need extra batteries for your radio, flashlights, and other items. Get these early before they all sell out.
• Prepare early: Emergency items sell out quickly at the stores, so stock up your kit before hurricane season even starts, and replenish food supplies every six months.

First Aid

These first aid items are a must for every household.

• Antiseptic solution: Keep this on hand to keep infections at bay.
• Allergy medicine: Storms can blow in all kinds of icky stuff that drive your allergies wild.
• First aid instructions: Print out instructions for the Heimlich, CPR and other basic aid in case you panic in an emergency.
• Mosquito repellant: If it floods — or even rains a lot — your area could have a serious and potentially dangerous mosquito problem.
• prescription glasses: If you run out of contact solution or all the nastiness in the air after a storm irritates you, you’ll have back-up glasses.
• Adhesive tape: You can use this to fasten bandages, hold large lacerations together and even splint broken bones.
• Gauze, bandages and band-aids: Even little cuts and scrapes need to be dressed, so have a range of bandages on hand.
• Hand sanitizer: Nothing compares to soap and water, but in a fix, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol will help.
• Sunscreen: If you have to evacuate, take sunscreen with you in case you get stuck on the highway.

Repair and Maintenance

Here you’ll find hacks for keeping your house and property in order.

• Plywood: Nailing plywood over windows is still the best option for protecting the inside of your house.
• Sand bags: If you live in a low area, especially, use sand bags to dispel water.
• Bring outside furniture indoors: Move patio furniture and pool toys into the garage.
• Turn off utilities if you leave: Before evacuating, shut off power, propane gas and water, but leave on natural gas unless told to do so by authorities. A licensed professional is the only one who can turn it back on.
• Anchor mobile homes: Pre-1994 construction mobile homes probably aren’t anchored well enough to stand even Category 1 hurricanes.
• Buy impact resistant glass: Well before you hear about any storms, replace older windows with higher resistance ones.
• Prepare your pool: Make sure water drains fro the deck, store toys, and close umbrellas.
• Lock windows and doors: Lock up your windows and doors for personal safety and to keep the wind from blowing them open.
• Prune trees and shrubs: Loose limbs and plants will fly around easily when the winds pick up.
• Get storm shutters: Place these over glass doors, windows and skylights.
• Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: Make sure these will work even if the power is out.
• Buy tarps and rope: Already have these items on hand so that you can start repairs as quickly as possible to prevent more damage.
• Fill bathtub with water: If you’re going to get hit pretty badly, give your family an extra supply of water by filling a sanitized bathtub.

Food and Water

Know which foods to keep on hand during a storm.

• Food and water should last for 72 hours: Make sure you have enough supplies to last everyone in the house for at least 72 hours.
• Replace stored goods every six months: If you’re keeping a kit stocked around the year, replace food items every six months to ensure freshness and safety.
• Be aware of boil water alerts: After a storm, you may have to boil water for a few days at least due to flooded wells, spilled sewage and other contamination.
• Prepare your refrigerator ahead of time: Stock your freezer with dry ice to keep food frozen longer if the power goes out.
• Get out your ice chest: Fill an ice chest with dry ice before and after the storm to keep food cold.
• Canned foods: Canned meat, fish, fruits, soups, milk and vegetables are all smart, easy-to-prepare options.
• Pick higher calorie foods: You’ll need to eat foods with more calories and nutrition per serving to sustain your energy.
• Buy perishable foods right before the storm: When everyone else is out buying canned items, you can buy cookies, raisins, dry cereal, pepperoni and cheese that doesn’t need to be refrigerated. These will give you more variety but will still last a few days if you don’t have power.
• Use camping gear: If you have basic camping gear like a small grill, you can make simple meals while the power’s out.
• Baby formula: Don’t forget to store enough baby formula and baby food.

Power Outages

Learn what to do when the power goes out.

• Consider a generator: These will make your life much easier during a storm, but understand the carbon monoxide risks and that your neighbors might get angry if you won’t share.
• Connect via Twitter and Facebook on your phone: Most local news stations will send updates via FB and Twitter, which you can access on your phone if the power goes out.
• Keep numbers of energy companies handy: Write down or store in your phone the numbers of energy providers so that you can notify them of an outage.
• Know which foods are safe to eat: This guide explains which foods you can thaw and refreeze, how long they’ll last in your refrigerator without power, and which to throw out.
• Use grills and pressure washers outside: Gas grills and generators carry a carbon monoxide risk.
• Stay away from downed power lines: Let trained workers clean up the damage.
• Have a realistic understanding of restoration times: Here you can read estimates of expected restoration times according to the strength of a hurricane.
• Drink lots of water: When it’s hot and you don’t have A/C, drink water to stay cool and hydrated.
• Get your vaccines early: If you’re planning on getting a vaccine soon, do it before the storm, since power outages may spoil supplies.
• Know how to connect a generator: Don’t connect it to your home’s main power fuse.

Entertainment

Keep yourself entertained even when it’s storming outside and the power goes out.

• Board games: Get out board games to keep you distracted during the storm and to play if the power goes out.
• Read: Read when it’s light out, and save the radio battery for nighttime or news alerts only.
• Play with your pets: Give your pets extra attention, especially if they seem stressed or scared.
• Play charades: Games like charades or hide and go seek don’t require any power.
• Sing: Singing will also help children relax.
• Tell ghost stories: If little kids aren’t around, scare yourself with ghost stories during the storm.
• Make a fort: Use blankets, furniture and flashlights to make a cozy fort for your family.

Special Needs and Children

The elderly, sick, disabled, pregnant women and children all have special needs during hurricanes.

• Minimize stress: Help children cope better by minimizing stressful situations and discussions.
• Limit TV time: Don’t let your kids watch scary footage of the storm on TV.
• Pre-register for special needs shelters: If you think you will have to evacuate and are bringing a special needs or disabled person with you, pre-register to ensure space and adequate care.
• Maintain normal routines: Keeping up with a normal routine helps soothe everyone from babies to adults.
• Call the doctor: Pregnant women and special needs patients should communicate with their doctors to let them know your plan for riding out the storm or evacuating.
• FEMA for Kids: As long as you have power, direct kids to this colorful site that includes games, cartoons, quizzes and information about hurricanes, presented in a friendly manner.
• Contact home health care service: If you use a home health care service, call them and ask them to check on you during and after the storm.
• Answer children’s questions: Welcome questions from children about what to do, what a hurricane is, and how to prepare for it.
• Get older kids to help: School-aged children will feel more prepared and maybe even excited if they’re allowed to help gather blankets and find batteries.
• Bunk with the neighbors: If you’re elderly, ask to spend the night at the neighbors’ house, or work out some kind of signal for help should you need it and if the phones go out.
• Clean up clutter: If the power goes out, or an elderly person is in a new home, he or she may be more likely to fall.
• Stay hydrated: People who are sick and the elderly are especially at risk for dehydration.
• Know the risks: Disabled individuals will find it harder to evacuate, so know all the obstacles and risks involved in transporting them or keeping them safe in your home.

Evacuating

Find out what to do if an evacuation is in order.

• Find a place for pets ahead of time: If you’re unable to take your pets with you, make arrangements ahead of time, and never leave your pet chained up or alone on your property. It’s cruel.
• Get a real map: You may not be able to rely on your GPS, especially if roads are blocked or flooded. Get a real map to help you find your way out.
• Plan meeting places: Pick two or three meeting places — one inside your home, one inside your neighborhood, and one outside your neighborhood for whenever the storm hits or where you plan to evacuate.
• Sleeping bag: Get a sleeping bag, blankets and pillows ready if you have to evacuate.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full: Fill it up all the way unless authorities are rationing it, but even when you’re on the road, try not to let your tank get lower than half full.
• Familiarize yourself with evacuation routes: There should be standard routes, but listen to the news to learn about any new or updated routes.
• Plan to stay with friends: Hotels will book up quickly, so plan to stay with friends or family who live inland at least for the first couple of nights.
• Find out if you live in an evacuation zone: You may not even have to worry about evacuating.
• Leave when you’re told: Avoid the worst traffic, road closures and getting stuck behind by leaving right when you’re told to go.
• Carefully inspect your home upon return: Before letting children back, watch for snakes, rats, hanging electrical wires and loose debris.

Paperwork

Keep important documents safe during a storm.

• Emergency contact information: Put doctors’ phone numbers and other emergency contact information in your preparedness kit.
• Prioritize what’s important: You can’t take everything with you, but deeds, wills, Social Security cards, birth certificates and important financial statements should be collected.
• Use a USB drive: Download important data onto a flash drive and put it in a waterproof, sealable bag or container.
• Check home insurance: Do this before hurricane season starts, otherwise updated coverage may not take effect until the following year. Also look into flood insurance.
• Write down serial numbers: In case important belongings are stolen or lost in the storm, you’ll need serial numbers to get them back.
• Set up direct deposit: Ask your employer if you can switch to direct deposit since mail could be interrupted during a storm.
• Proof of residence: A driver’s license or mail should suffice.
• Use a fireproof safe: A fireproof safe will keep your belongings protected.
• Take video and photos: Take them of your car, home and property before and after the storm for insurance purposes.

Staying Informed

Here are hacks for staying updated on alerts and warnings.

• Know the terminology: Know the difference between tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes so that you can follow the reports better.
• Listen for warnings: Actually do what the officials tell you to do: stay put, evacuate, and/or get your supplies ready.
• Check IBISEYE: This website tracks Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico hurricanes.

Safety

Keep reading for more hacks on keeping your home and family safe.

• Head to a windowless room: Even if your windows are boarded up, stay in a windowless room while the winds are blowing.
• Stay downwind: This area is the opposite side of the house that the wind is hitting.
• Stay inside: Stay indoors for the entire duration of the storm, and do not go outside during the calm of the storm, when the eye passes over.
• Be careful with candles: Only light them if you have to, and set a reminder to blow them out before leaving the room or going to bed.

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Best Survival Flashlight

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The flashlight, also known as a ‘torch’ in other parts of the world, is very high up on the list of things to include in any survival kit. The challenge though is, there are so many flashlights to pick from, which flashlight should you buy? What is the best flashlight?

Answer: It depends.

Decide the flashlight criteria

Will it be used in your 72 hour survival kit in your vehicle, your bug-out-bag, backpack, head strap, weapons light, key chain, lantern, boat, or just around the home? Does it need to be waterproof? Does the color matter? Does the flashlight need to be super  bright, bright, not too bright? What size should it be? What quality should I pay for? …you get the idea.

Decide the purpose and requirements.

• Type – purpose (size – shape – weight, spot or flood)
• Brightness – bulb type
• Battery type – rechargeable or not rechargeable – battery life
• Color – hidden or conspicuous
• Quality (price – many features are shared by many models, but price and quality vary)

Brightness

Most people automatically think the brighter the flashlight the better. However, a brighter flashlight will usually be bigger, heavier, and the run-time will be less – requiring more frequent battery changes or recharges. There are many use-case scenarios where you will not want a particularly bright light, but instead a normal output will be Okay. In fact, there are examples where you want the flashlight brightness to be very low, e.g. , to keep your location concealed.

Flashlight brightness is rated in Lumens and Candlepower.

Lumen, quantifies how much light gets to the object you are illuminating.

Candlepower, or Candelas, quantifies how much light the bulb itself produces.

If you want a flashlight to brightly light what you are shining on, pick a higher lumen rating. Similarly, you could pick a higher candlepower (or candela) rating, although it’s rating is a measure of the bulb itself – which doesn’t necessarily represent the efficiency of the light beam output (which includes properties of the reflector, lens, etc…).

To get an idea of the scale of lumens, 13 lumens is the approximate brightness of one lit candle and 1,200 lumens is the approximate brightness of a 100 watt bulb.

One flashlight that I keep around the house for general purpose use is the Streamlight UltraStinger which throws out a spot beam of 295 lumens while the bulb produces 75,000 candela. It is seriously bright for its size (just mentioning this to give you a gauge of what I consider to be “very bright” for a flashlight when we’re talking lumens and candlepower).

The Humvee HMV-40MIL-110 is the brightest flashlight in the million candlepower range that I have ever seen. 40 million candlepower. In a survival search and rescue operation, one might say that this is the best survival flashlight.

Depending on your purpose, you may only want a dim, but long lasting flashlight to use for dark environment map reading or other close up purposes, while not being so bright to give away your position. On the contrary, you may want a bright and widely illuminating flashlight, or maybe one that shoots a focused beam a long distance.

The Surefire LX2 LumaMax might be the best tactical size LED flashlight out there. It is pricey, but the highest of quality and is rated all 5-stars. Might this be the best survival flashlight?

Another fine choice for best survival flashlight might be this one, the Fenix TK40 slightly larger and brighter than the tactical, of high quality and packed with features. I might vote for this one.

Size Matters

Your flashlight application or specific purpose will determine the preferred size. Key-chain size, or something slightly larger for a backpack. For more powerful applications, size will increase, although today’s technology has packed brighter illumination into smaller packages. The multi-million candlepower lights are about the biggest size you will encounter. Although they can be held with one hand, you will pay the price with their weight and size.

Spot or Flood Beam Type

A spot light will narrowly focus the beam and will reach further with brighter object illumination. The angle of the beam will vary depending on the reflector design – some of which are variable, allowing you to adjust it or zoom in and out. A flood light will widely light up an area for general purpose, closer lighting purposes. There are use-case scenarios for both types.

Bulb type

Common flashlight bulb types include LED, halogen, or xenon. They each serve a purpose and have their own trade-offs.

LED flashlight technology has come a long way over recent years and there are many very bright LED flashlights available. LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology is extremely power efficient and will run for very long periods of time before requiring a battery change or recharge. Personally, I prefer LED flashlights for nearly all of my normal applications.

However if extremely bright light is desired, other bulb types such as halogen, xenon, and others can produce brighter light. The penalty you pay for other bulb types is that of power consumption and battery life.

Conclusion

There is not a ‘best’ survival flashlight because it really does depend on its specific purpose, which will vary because of that fact. Having said that, keep in mind the criteria listed here, which should help you think about options. Also, the general rule that I always follow when purchasing any product is, ‘you get what you pay for‘. In other words, the better ‘stuff’ usually costs more money. In some instances this will not matter to you, but in other instances it will.

Also see…

The Best Flashlight

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Four Survival Guns

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Owning a gun, or a variety of guns can be a core element to rural survival living. Gun ownership compliments the lifestyle of those who are already living a way of life of self sufficiency. Although I know there are some who are wary of guns, and there are parts of the world where gun ownership is outright banned, owning guns is really just like owning a particular set of tools to compliment the other tools that you have.

I recently received an email from Kent, a reader in Alaska, who already lives a lifestyle where hunting, fishing, gathering, gardening, canning, etc…, is common and simply part of his and his wife’s current way of life. He brought up the notion of how firearms are integral to rural survival living and listed some practical recommendations.


Kent from Alaska writes:

If I had to pick one firearm only, it would be a .22 rifle. Even a good one is inexpensive, as guns go, and so is the ammo. It is good for small game, adequate for home defense and medium game, and in a pinch one could take a deer or even a moose with a well-placed shot.

If I could pick a second, a 12-ga. shotgun (pump action) would be it. It can fire a variety of loads for small, medium, and large game – bird-shot to buckshot/slugs. It is the best home defense weapon there is.

Some might argue that the shotgun should be the first weapon and the .22 the second… but the .22 is more accurate at longer ranges and if your survival depended on taking that marmot way over there, I wouldn’t want a shotgun.

For a third, it’d be a tossup between a revolver and a scoped rifle. It would sort of matter on where one lived. In a rural area, the rifle would be handier for game like pig, deer, antelope, elk, et cetera. As far as general use, it is hard to go wrong with a .30-06 in the lower 48. Here in Alaska, with bigger more-dangerous game to deal with, a .338 or .375 would be the way to go.

In an urban environment, the revolver would probably be handier. A .357 magnum or .41 magnum is excellent for home defense. Don’t go for a little short-barreled pocket gun. Get a nice, solid, 6″-or-better-barreled pistol. With a scope, it can also be used for hunting.

Best bet, get all 4 types…

While fancy semi-automatic weapons with large clips may be popular survival weapons in the movies, simple bolt- or lever-action rifles, pump shotguns, and the ever-reliable revolver are far less likely to jam, mis-fire, or break.


Ken adds: I agree with the set of recommendations, especially regarding the .22 rifle. I own several .22′s. They have many advantages including the fact that they are relatively quiet and won’t widely advertise your position (not always a concern, but it could be). I can still remember the very first time firing one as a kid at summer camp so many years ago, the smell of the powder, oh what fun it was…

Lauren’s comment: Ladies (and Gents), I just had to throw in my two cents about my favorite firearm which has always been my Marlin 880 bolt-action, .22 rifle. Unfortunately I can’t really pinpoint for you why it’s my favorite. Though it was my first gun, that’s not the reason. I’ve always loved a bolt action rifle, not to mention the ease with which I can carry it.

Could this be the list of the top 4 survival guns to own?

1. Glock 19 (9mm) handgun, Caliber is extremely common and ammunition will be easiest to obtain. Very reliable, accurate, and highly owned pistol for all around use.

2. Remington 870 (12 gauge) shotgun, Highly customizable and well respected reliable pump action shotgun.

3. Ruger 10/22 (.22 LR), Well renown respected all around 22 that is highly configurable, accurate, and reliable.

4. AR-15 (.223/5.56x45mm) rifle, or is this over-the-top?


You may find it interesting, educational, and beneficial to read the following very popular book which covers an extremely wide variety of firearm topics, including the book author’s own favorite recommended firearms.
Boston’s Gun Bible

By the way, the author of that book suggests the following (with caveats – you’ll have to read the book)…

Glock 30 (.45ACP) handgun

Remington 870 (12 gauge) shotgun

M14 .308 seim-auto battle rifle

Marlin M70 Papoose .22LR

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Survival Retreat Population Density

Population density and survival retreat location are inversely proportional. That is, most survival retreat locations will tend to be located in low population density areas.


Definition of a survival retreat,  also referred to as a bug out location or BOL

A retreat, living outside and away from the main stream population for refuge, safety, and privacy.

Refuge, shelter or protection from danger. Safety, freedom from danger or damage. Privacy, being concealed or hidden.

No doubt there are a variety of interpretations and definitions of a survival retreat (or BOL) and its purpose.

Some will lean towards the safety aspect of a remote survival retreat location while taking comfort in being away from mass population density in the event of a major disruption. Others will prefer the idea of privacy or solitude of being unseen, or not being bothered by neighbors. There are many and various personal reasons for desiring a retreat location, and people today are exploring the possibility more and more as the uncertain times we live in begin to awaken our survival instincts.

Some people are already living year round in a location that many would consider a “survival retreat”, while others may have a retreat location that is only used occasionally, while still others only dream about having their own.

While determining an ideal location for a survival retreat, a very big concern will be the surrounding population density, which will ideally be low, and some distance away from any large population center.

There are obvious practical considerations while determining the remoteness of a survival retreat. The further away, the more self-sufficient you must be, year round. You need to keep in mind the products and services that you will need, which you cannot provide yourself. Most of us cannot survive on our own without the help or services of others. If someone lived fifty or a hundred miles away from the nearest town, that someone would have to be pretty self-sufficient and adept at making it on their own.

Maybe an ideal location is one where you are relatively near, or in, a small town which itself is not near a large population center. How small a town? Again, a personal choice.

My own thoughts of an ideal population choice may be 5,000 or less, or thereabout. Just enough population to provide the basic services that you will need (you can’t do everything yourself – or at least most of us can’t). There are so many variables, that it really comes down to doing a lot of research of the area, its services, and how they will compliment your own skills.

How far should this small town be from a larger population center, perhaps for other needs such as quality care, hospitalization, and other professional services? Determining that ideal distance, is an interesting exercise in itself. In a worst case disaster, how far will the ‘reach’ be of the hordes – at what point during a horde trek will the supplies diminish and thin out such that it is mostly stopped? What is a safe distance?

It is all very personal. However the following population density maps may help get you started.

Population Density Maps

For those looking for an ideal retreat location in the USA, I have come across several population density maps that may be useful, and if nothing else, interesting to look at.

USA population density map – 3D view

where-we-live from TIME multimedia

USA population density per square mile

USA population density map – flat view

US population map – wikimedia.org

Urban population density of North America

Based upon satellite measurements of city lights, this image is a map of the urban population density of North America. Most major cities are in level areas along an ocean, bay, large lake, or navigable river. I find it interesting to stare at the picture until you visualize the light gray areas rising up higher in elevation, and then observe how most everyone lives at very low elevations (dark areas).

World population density map

United Kingdom population density map

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