Location & Security (Level 3 Preparedness)
“Prepping and Preparedness 3” is a level of being prepared for up to 1 year.
Check the series overview (linked below) for my logic and reasoning why I split it the way that I did.
Location and Security. Wow. That’s going to be extraordinarily important. Why? Because a level-3 event is literally going to be catastrophic for so many people. And that’s regardless of where they live.
However, it is going to be orders of magnitude worse in population-dense regions. Cities? Forget it. Complete disaster. The cities will be the first to go “belly up”. When infrastructure is no longer functioning, well, I’ll leave it to your imagination. It’s going to be horrible. Especially there.
What about suburbia? Will that be alright? My answer to that is another question… Doesn’t suburbia also rely on a functioning infrastructure? Are there not lots and lots of people living in suburbia?
So, out in the country? Rural? Is that where it will be best to survive a level-3 event? Again I ask, Do people who live rural also rely on a functioning infrastructure? Answer: Yes, and somewhat. Some rely 100%. Others in between. Unless you’re living on a fully self-sufficient farm, there’s still going to be infrastructure that’s relied upon to an extent.
But with that said, and as you likely would logically surmise, living rural is the best option for survival in this regard. Provided that you’re reasonably prepared (easier said than done). Also, fewer people, fewer problems.
Rural Location
It’s one thing to simply live in a rural area. However it’s another to be reasonably prepared there for a level-3 event. The intent of this article is not to detail that preparedness. But to highlight a few important considerations.
Water
Ideally you will need a water source on your property. Most rural homes already have their own well. Imagine all those people living in city regions and suburbia who do not? It’s difficult to wrap one’s head around the utter disaster and human catastrophe when the water stops flowing there.
Alternative Energy
A well pump will need “power” without the grid. And a generator doesn’t count. Why? Because it will eventually run out of fuel. Then what?
Maybe you’re lucky enough to have surface water on your property which doesn’t need to be pumped. But most rural homes don’t have this luxury. So you’re going to need energy to operate your well pump. A proper solar power system will be the best solution (beyond the scope of this article – however I’ll link to a future article describing a minimal system).
Septic
Most rural homes already have a septic waste system. These systems will function for many years if they’re not abused beyond their intent. Again, can you imagine cities and suburbia without a functioning sewer system? That’s not a pleasant thought. And the situation will rapidly deteriorate into a major hazard.
Propane
My rural home includes a buried 1,000 gallon propane tank. A typical site among rural areas are propane tanks. They provide the fuel for furnaces, hot water, stoves… Given that this is a level-3 event (months up to a year), one could have enough propane on hand to get by for a year or so (if the tank is big enough).
Heat
Though I mentioned propane, regardless of one’s fuel source, a major consideration is heating during the winter. Especially for those who live where it gets c-c-cold, you better have this one figured out. Don’t count on ‘delivery’.
Anything Else?
Why didn’t I list a big garden? Because it’s not a requirement for level-3. You could fairly easily store enough food for a year. A garden is highly recommended for many reasons. But not absolutely necessary.
Shelter. Water. Food. Survival can be pretty basic. But can you do it without a working infrastructure? I’ve listed several of the highest level considerations above. However there’s one very important thing remaining…
Security
Having eluded to the human disaster that will unfold in cities and suburbia (everywhere really), can you imagine? What will it be like in the cities when so many people all get desperate around the same time? Or think of typical suburbia. Homes one after another up and down the tangled web of streets. These people too will become desperate all around the same time when supplies run out. When the water stops. The lights go out. When they can no longer get on facebook…
Don’t get me wrong. People will get just as desperate in the rural regions too. Why? Because only a percentage are actually prepared for a level-3 event. The difference regarding security is that there are fewer people and fewer problems!
But there is going to be a problem. The problem will be the unprepared.
In the past we’ve had countless debates on the blog as to how this might unfold. And how YOU might deal with this situation. I’m not going to rehash all that. However there will be logical security precautions that you should consider, even while living rural.
[ Read: Security Tips For Rural Property ]
Gray Man
Gray man or gray woman (see, I’m being all-inclusive). Whoever you are, it’s best to “go gray” to the extent that you can. Why? Because there will be desperation around you. And “some” of the desperate will try to get what you’ve got. If they know you’ve got it. It’s probably going to be best NOT to stick your head out, so to speak. And this also involves being quiet about your preparedness BEFORE anything like this might happen.
Lights Out
Actually part of being “gray” is being aware that others may become aware of your advantageous situation. Lights on at night while your alternative energy system continues to flow electrons through your home? Maybe not such a good idea… This goes for anything that’s “powered” which may be noticed by noise, smell, sight.
Ultimate Defense
The firearm. Plural. Ammunition. Plenty.
Of course we hope that we NEVER ever need to go down this road. But it would be foolish to ignore that it’s there. The road of having to defend one’s-self from the threat of deadly force. However I suspect that a level-3 event will force many down this road. So do you have a plan for that?
24/7 Security
To an extent, even those living rural who are well prepared, will be affected by plain old luck whether or not something bad might happen (or not). Two people living in a home is nowhere near enough for effective 24/7 security. And those two people might be just fine without it – given their own unique situation where they’re at. But don’t count on it.
Since most of you who are reading this likely are not living in a “compound” manned by a security force, I suggest that you do what you can in order to offset this risk a bit.
Perimeter Alarms for early warning. Gate your road/driveway if that’s appropriate for your property. Consider defensible positions. Think about “where” an intruder may attempt to get on to your property. Secure your home the best you can.
Remember though, most homes are not built to withstand a “fire fight”. No matter how prepared that you think you are, you’re likely going to be a potential sitting duck at one point or another. It’s not hard to hit a target from a considerable distance with almost any given rifle, for example.
So what to do? This post is not intended to answer that specifically. But I hope that it will cause you to think about it. Most of you are not going to sell your home and then go out and buy a castle with a moat around it and wait for the apocalypse. Well okay, maybe one of you will. ;) But just give it some thought.
The Takeaway
A level-3 event is unlikely but very high impact. Most who are into preparedness do not prep to this extent. And that’s fine. Chances are (hopefully) that we’ll never experience it. But if we ever do…
So, there’s so much more that I could write on the topic of location and security (and I have – articles buried in this website). But generally, “IF” a level-3 happens, it’s going to boil down to where you live (or bug out to), having covered (at least) the major aspects of the topics above, and plain old luck.
[ Read: America Is Mostly Rural With Pockets Of Urban Suburbia ]
[ Read: Preparedness Level 1 – 4 Series Overview ]
