As A Prepper, What Are You Preparing For?

what-are-you-preparing-for

Are you preparing just for fun? Or is there a specific reason?

While the journey can be enjoyable and liberating, most of us have assessed the many risks that we face today and are preparing for ‘just in case’ one of these risks ‘blows up’ into reality…

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) actually promotes that Americans prepare, although their recommendations are woefully inadequate (3 days on your own). But to their credit, at least it’s something… especially knowing that most Americans barely have 3 days food and supplies at home (yes that’s for real).

FEMA’s recommendations may fulfill the requirements for most small scale and common temporary setbacks, but as most of you know, to prepare for any serious disaster requires much more than a 3 day supply of food and the presumption that .gov will ride in to save you…

That said, the following are a few of the risks that the serious prepper may be preparing for:


 
I have posted on the following subjects numerous times on the blog and they are probably among the highest with regards to systemic risk, impact, and aftermath. Are any of these among the list of what you are preparing for? Any others?

 

FINANCIAL COLLAPSE

America and other developed countries are incredibly and massively broke. Money printing, twisted statistics, and crooked central banks have propped up the hollow house-of-cards to present the false appearance of stability and growth. Logical and critical-thinking people know that mathematically this cannot continue without consequences that are one day – real…

I do believe that we are likely to experience a massive financial collapse in our future (not so distant?), and I’m not talking about the one in 2008. I’m talking about a complete breakdown and falling dominoes which collapse the financial/economic system as we know it.

I’m talking about a resulting ‘Greater Depression’ such that we’ve never seen before, and unlike ‘The Great Depression’ of the 1930’s when many Americans were farmers and/or had the ability to adapt and find a way to survive, this one will pale in comparison.

Most Americans (and others) today have little ability to truly take care of themselves. There is literally a life-dependent reliance on ‘the system’ and most will suffer greatly when it falters.

A huge number of Americans also rely on government checks including those on welfare, disability, and even the retired who are dependent upon their social security checks. They will especially suffer as the dollar’s value resets or crumbles its purchasing power that it once had…

A Greater Depression today would bring about tremendous and probable violent social chaos as the affected and suffering masses lash out in desperation.

 

KILLER PANDEMIC

A deadly rapidly widespread pandemic would present a disaster even more severe than a financial collapse. While a financial collapse may unfold on a slower timeline, or even if it occurred rapidly, a truly deadly spreading pandemic would rapidly shut down the systems of our infrastructure exaggerating the death toll that much further…

Imagine a highly infectious weaponized strain which is unleashed upon this modern world of travel. How quickly would it spread if a ‘terrorist’ were to release an aerosol during the Olympic Games where hundreds of thousands of people from around the globe come together…and then return home…

Or imagine if an infectiously deadly strain of ‘Swine Flu’ were to adapt and cross over to humans and begin to spread throughout the population…

People would stop going to work. They would be afraid to catch the deadly pandemic strain from others. What happens when people stop going to work? The system crashes. Supply chains of distribution stop flowing. Everything falls down… Supplies run out. And the shelves will be empty for a long time because it is not a simple thing to restart the ‘JIT’ (just-in-time) system for those who have survived the pandemic and are facing the aftermath…

Since most people barely have one week’s worth of food in their homes, many will begin to starve – even those who have escaped the pandemic by hunkering down at home. Then what? Either go out in search of food and risk infection or stay at home and starve… Either way, not good odds.

 

GRID DOWN

Probably the worst-case scenario would be a long lasting grid-down event. As I’ve posted about many times on this blog – a long term electrical power grid-down will be absolutely devastating to everything we know, to all systems of manufacture, all systems of distribution, to everything about our way-of-life – and will likely result in 9 of 10 people dying within a year or less.

A cyberattack (Lights Out For A Nation Unprepared As Cyberattack Downs Power Grid) is one of the great dangers that the electrical power grid is facing and would be debilitating and potentially very deadly for you, I, for everyone. And it’s not science fiction…

Although it has not happened (yet) and the effects are theoretical and hypothetical, a high altitude nuclear EMP weapon detonation (electromagnetic pulse) may not only bring down the grid, but will fry most all electronic components within its ‘line of sight’ (which could be a thousand miles or more).

A solar flare of sufficient magnitude (X-25+ ?) would also probably bring down the power grid (incidentally we recently dodged the bullet just a few years ago when one of these monster X-class flares/CME’s missed Earth and would likely have ended life as we know it).

The electrical power grid is the life blood of our modern way of life. And our modern way of life is 100% dependent upon electricity. Without it, nearly everyone will die. Literally. Very few are set up to survive a long lasting grid-down scenario and it is one of the most difficult things to really prepare for.

 

 
CONCLUSION
I am not foolish enough or naive enough to bury my head in the sand and/or to convince myself that any of the scenarios above are so unlikely that there’s no sense preparing for it…

I believe that any of the scenarios above are certainly within the realm of future possibilities and my inner drive, my instinct, will not let me ignore them.

Along the journey through preparedness you will pass through phases of readiness. It begins with the ability to be 100% self-sufficient for three days (ridiculously easy). Then it’s three weeks. Then three months. But when you continue into the realm of serious preparedness, you enter into a higher level of requirements in order to survive.

It then goes beyond relying on your deep pantry and storage of consumables. Survival then literally becomes one of longer term self-sustainability and self-sufficiency (very difficult in the literal sense) in many aspects of one’s life. Preparing for worst-case scenarios is not just filling your pantry and going about your business. It’s about a lifestyle change that betters your odds when there are little or no external resources to help you, and when there are forces that are working against you…

…food for thought.

 
So, with all that said, what do you have to add? As a prepper, what are you preparing for?

91 Comments

  1. My major concerns are grid down and financial collapse. Although, I also prepare for pandemics. America is going down the tubes. One of my concerns is the Isis hoards that have entered America and are still coming in. The center of my being knows something is happening soon. Don’t know when or how but I continue to prepare for all of the above.

  2. The three listed is a good start, tho longtimers know the other 76 on the list.

  3. Why do I /we prep is a good question and I think the true answer will be different for everyone. To be honest in a world ending situation such as nuclear war, a comet or asteroid strike, etc., I think I would prefer to go in the first blast and be done with it.

    We all are going to die at some point and I don’t fear death. I do fear pain and suffering. At the age I am, I understand that I am not going to be able to run a farm, hunt all day, hunt enough food etc. if we go into a long term situation that takes us back to the 1800’s. So people would say then why do I prep. I guess I prep not so that I can survive but because I am afraid that I will.

    1. Or so you can help sustain yourself and some others forming a small group knowing you left the place a little better than when you found it after the event. It’s all perspective but if we remember that the world is round, all else falls into place even our rationale for doing things.

  4. Why, so I and my children and grandchildren can may continue in life? I know I’ve won’t live as long as they do but I think life’s sessions have better prepared me to teach them when SHTF.

    Realized.

    Now on the grid down situation, I’ve been giving something a lot of thought, we live on the west coast, we have a lot of independent power generating facilities that contribute to the grid. I firmly believe that by disconnecting from each other that a lot of areas after the initial panic will be able to function normally, the big metropolitan areas that require power from different sources will be the worst hit.

    So maybe roaming outages may be the norm, that’s just a thought and I’m open to someone disagreeing or modifying my thoughts. I have my own solar array that keeps us running so it doesn’t affect us one way or the other.

  5. Being in So Cal, a major earthquake is top of my list. Depending on the epicenter and strength, a number of highways could be seriously damaged as overpasses fall (has happened with past earthquakes). I’m not picturing the state falling into the ocean, but between infrastructure damage (lots of old bridges and overpasses) and power outages (lots of old equipment) there could be some major disruptions to food distribution and other services people take for granted.

    I am also concerned about civil unrest. During the riots after the Rodney King verdict (aka L.A. riots) a lot of people looted and destroyed entire neighborhoods. Although I live quite a ways away from such urban hot spots, I do not work too far away from the fringes of some of these areas.

    During the riots, the mobs moved like swarms of locusts destroying everything in their path. In some areas the police stayed back and let it happen, they had no control. A lot of people are really angry right now, and the media is fanning the flames. I cannot remember such a miserable election year, and I see potential for violent civil unrest in major cities. So, I prep for numerous routes home, and getting home by car or on foot.

    While there are lots of other things that could go wrong, these are two situations that are plausible in my area, and for which I am prepping.

    1. So Cal gal, I believe civil unrest is the highest probability of what’s to come, probably localized like in areas where you live. Martial law, yes, but they won’t call it that, curfews and such will be the norm.

      I think this will start in one city on the east coast with politics being the cause the spread like wildfire ending up in San Fran and LA. I believe this is a design by POTUS, take the riots in Seattle during the NAFTA conference and multiply it by 1000.

      1. JD

        I too am preparing for Martial Law which the government will install to cover a multitude of problems. Not only have the alphabet soup agencies been arming up but the military has increased its training in riot control.

        The police are now militarized and have MRAPS and Trained SWAT TEAMS with lots of firepower. I believe they will outlaw guns and then nullify the rest of the Constitution Of The United States.

        Our Government appears to be waging a silent war on its people.

        1. Slingshot, I think what the government is doing is very obvious and not being done quietly.

        2. Our beloved POTUS said flat out, in an interview I watched when I was still undecided as to whom to vote for, that we need to be more equal to other countries.

          He specifically mentioned the 3rd world. We’re just too wealthy for our own good, apparently. He then went on to detail how he planned for this to happen. It was an interview before his first term, but no one seemed to catch it. Share the wealth, save the world. He said it will be necessary to have $5 per gallon gas, necessary for food and commodity prices to go up, necessary for the wealthy to be brought down for the good of the rest.

          He hasn’t tried to hide anything. Neither has the UN, which has stated that there are plans in place to bring the world population back down to a “sustainable” level, which they state is 200 million. It’s all out there, some in black and white and some in televised interviews. No one is hiding anything, except that the media doesn’t comment on it so it doesn’t exist.

    2. So Cal Girl,

      You would need to move out of there. There is a major fault running thru Barstow and it won’t be good. Once the more known ones crack, the others will follow and the entire Inland Empire and High Desert will go.

      Have your bug out bags with food and the other important things inside your car or in the back of your SUV. I do the same, and I also carry in my truck a tool box, portable jumps starter, towing rope and things like that. Okay, it’s more of a mini house then anything else :)

      PS: don’t let the fear of the ‘what ifs’ overwhelm you, have faith in yourself that you can and you will handle it when the time comes :)

  6. This list is the MOST LIKELY to happen and it’s the most scary. And I am one of those that’s stuck on the system, not that I WANT to be but its reality. And it sucks but that said, I have managed to get SOME supplies together and I’ve learned a LOT about how to stay alive in bad times. And I still have a LOT more to learn and I freely admit that.

    The older I get, the more I know, the more I DON’T know.

  7. All that matters is your all encompassing confidence level for the how, not the what or why. No matter how you have prepped, if your own confidence level is not maxed out as much as humanly possible then all is for naught. Because if you don’t have confidence, your house is built on shifting sands. You either understand this concept or you don’t, and there is no gray area. Period.

    1. This is absolutely true. Confidence is grounded in knowledge and ability. I would take an confident person who has no ability or skills over an skilled individual who freezes any day.

      1. Thanks Chameleon, you explained the concept of confidence better than I did. God bless and have a great day.

  8. Personally, I see our current economic situation to be inherently unsustainable so I am trying to plan for at least a partial collapse. And since that could lead down the road to the grid failing, well, better to plan for that too. And since I live in the PNW, there is that fault line that is expected to let go in the next few decades, an earthquake would be handy to have. And since a nearby town got burned up by wildfires a year or so ago, a plan for that sounds reasonable.

    Oh my! That’s a lot of things to worry about! I’M DOOMED!

    1. To quote ZH,

      On a long enough timeline, the survival rate of everyone drops to zero.

      Welcome to the club.

      I’m downwind of 5 nuke plants in a state that is totally bankrupt (Illinois)

      1. I’m a 71 yr old woman, retired cop and I like my guns. Knowing lots of judicial and law enforcement types, I don’t distrust or fear them. I’ve prepped for a grid failure and civil unrest. I live south of St.Louis and have seen unrest. I carry in my little car a GHB. I’m usually no more than 5-20 miles from home on shopping/errands I first bought a backpack, but it was too heavy. Then bought a “woman’s purse, back pack style(blue denim w/roses). Much lighter and about as big.I’m prepared to walk home and have in my bag: 1 pr socks, survival candle in can and 4 4″ candles, strike anywhere matches, Life Straw, cans of soda, beef sticks and fruit juice. 1 ponch, 2 sol blankets, a ballcap, 2 bandanas, first aid kit, small binos, all-purpose tool, I have a Fatty Bag w/knife, flashlight, batteries, matches, belly band holster, marker pen, knife.I have 2 4×6″ zoplocs with homemade fire starters and tinder. I plan to wear a fanny pack for extra ammo, candles, matches, and another knife, and/or to keep my gun handy. I still have some room and the bag isn’t too heavy for me. I’ll keep an extra pair of athletic shoes in the car as I don’t always wear ‘walking/running shoes. I think us women have a slightly different perspective. I plan to bug-in and live ” it” out. Have chickens and a garden, live is semi rural area. There is the New Madrid fault, too.

  9. Financial collapse, no doubt. Which will probably be followed by utter chaos, including martial law, and grid down situations. Being a grandparent now, I prepare for my grand children’s survival. That’s why I have a small farm and continue to acquire tools, skills, and a library of books on self sufficiency. What good is my learning all of this if the knowledge dies with me?

  10. We don’t know what the “disaster” will be, and there are several to choose from. I lean toward a decline in the economy to continue with the inflationary trend that we are experiencing now.

    The slowdown in rail & shipping tells me that people aren’t spending money. There are numerous large companies that are downsizing businesses. There are thousands of square feet of retail space not rented and available. We have 47 million people on welfare.

    We have the government encouraging illegal aliens to come here and take advantage of our ” free stuff ” programs. We have a population that doesn’t know how to get by without government help.

    It will end some day and it will not be a pretty experience, especially in large population centers. We keep a little cash to get us through for a while, but expect some kind of government script to replace cash as we know it. We are 40 miles away from 28,000 people so we may experience some ill effects from them.

    We have a large garden and a creek and firewood and we have invested in lead & brass. We continue to build relationships with neighbors and store stuff away.

    1. Bluesman, I was just thinking that perhaps TPTB will wait on the true financial collapse until they want to take us to a cashless society. Outlaw cash altogether. Is it Denmark that is going to go cashless by like 2020 or 2030? I forget which country. Should be interesting to watch how that plays out.

      1. I believe that Sweden is about 90% digital transactions and 10% cash at this time. It very well could be that TPTB would move to a cashless system when the economy dies, as I think it will. It would also be an opportune time to invoke martial law for complete & total control of the population.
        Not a very positive outlook, but entirely possible.

  11. I have been caught in a riot, my life has been threatened many times with guns since I was 8. My father and sister were abusive when I was growing up. Gangs and bullies have tried to beat me up for existing since 4th grade through high school(they lost). I’ve been abandoned without food for days when I was younger and people have stolen all my earnings. If I didn’t prepare for disaster as a lifestyle when I was young, I would be dead by now.

    I learned: how to defend myself, stay away from crowds, what wild foods are available to sustain myself, to “disappear” when bad people are around, not to tell people how much money or preps I have saved, not to be taken advantage of, and to be able to survive when things go to hell. Doesn’t matter how SHTF will happen, it won’t be easy but I will find a way to get through it.

    Certain life experiences do prepare us for danger, and no matter what major SHTF event happens I prepare against dangerous people, food shortages, pandemics, and natural disasters…although my preps include a safer place to live from natural and man made disasters, it still may impact me indirectly.

  12. We stopped worrying about which thing might happen and, looking around, figured it already did happened.

    Slowly, over time we no longer fit in society. We can still go to town and buy things but we live isolated for most of 2016. So now we work our homestead grow, forage, hunt, fish and live as best we can knowing the world as we knew has already slipped away. Each season we go deeper into self sufficiency (we are 30 years into it now). Shadows and edges, we work the peripheral. We find peace and meaning through our life choice and distance from the silliness.

    Heck grampa always said it you ain’t livin on the edge you’re taking up too much space. Everyone has choices. We choose to find meaning in our own way.
    Good luck to all.

  13. Worst thing would be an eruption of the Yellowstone volcano. I’m in Wyoming, so that would be the end for me.

    Grid down would be next worst, again since I am in Wyoming where it can get to -35 or colder and where there is not enough water or long enough growing season for most crops.

    The things I can best prepare for are civil unrest (not too many potential rioters in this rural area), inflation (where my Social Security check won’t be enough to buy enough food but what I can grow would supplement), martial law (again where food and supplies might be in short supply but probably wouldn’t affect us much here otherwise), banking or stock market collapse (again where my preps could weather the storm), and the election of Hillary.

    My biggest fear is that I couldn’t take care of my pets — 1 dog, 1 cat, and 1 gremlin, aka kitten. My second biggest fear is for my few remaining relatives — daughter, grandson, brother, nephew — who I have tried to persuade to prepare, but who think I am worried about nothing.

  14. Like most here, we also prep for economic collapse. We also prep for personal SHTF possibilities. Since DH’s health is not the greatest, I fear it will be a race as to which will occur first. In the background we are also aware of all the other possibilities, and they change over time in regards to what seems to climb to the top of the fear list. Economic collapse will happen, this is not an ‘if’ scenario but ‘when’. The best we can do is to continually work towards independence from the system.

  15. What I fear: Let me see now.

    First off is that financial collapse seems to occur once every 10 years (roughly) on a cyclical basis. Economists call this : an “adjustment within the economy for retooling”. The best defense against this has been a steady job within a growth industry. If not, then keep your eyes open and look up from the grindstone once in a while.

    Read financial papers, watch business news once in a while, listen to talk radio once in a while. Preparing for a recession means to buy only what you will need and forgoing some luxury items like Bass boats, European sports sedans.(Said items are tough to sell during recessions.) Relocation during a recession is easier with large amounts of cash and/or precious metals. Economic Tsunamis can be seen coming.

    Working in health care at present time means I live in fear of the next pandemic. The cause of the next pandemic in the dark areas of my mind are: Antibiotic-Resistant microbes.(Methacillin Resistant Staph Aureus, Vancomycin-Resistant Enterobacteria just to name a few) These are seen within hospitals every single day and they are not going away anytime soon. Those most in danger of getting these: The young, the old and first responders.

    Cyberattack on the grid: I think it is a war that is currently going on by our enemies both foreign and domestic.

    Nuclear war: After Hiroshima, those that survived the initial blast referred to the dead as the fortunate ones. Those that survived, did not survive for very long usually falling ill to cancer of one type or another within 5 years. Very high % did not have children. If you look through the photo exhibit of Hiroshima after the bomb fell, just about all of the pictures of locals walking among the ruins were dead within days of radiation poisoning. I do not see a real way to prep for this one.

  16. Financial collapse. Been setting up with alternative currencies, including SKILLS.
    Mostly for my kids and grand-kids….but I am determined to survive and see them through whatever comes! Amen.

    1. I hope that by currencies you mean gold, silver, and other precious metals/gems…

      1. Some of each of those….but better is alcohol, ammo, and aides (medical supplies) triple a baby!

  17. @poorman

    My sentiments, too.

    @confused and in the dark

    You have a plan. Beautifully said and meaningful. I would have liked Grampa. Thank you for sharing your families wisdom. That’s how we all learn.

  18. I am not a doomsday prepper, I am an everyday prepper. I prepare for normal stuff like being mugged at knife point, it happened and friends saved me. Now I am legally armed.

    I have had 2 back surgeries and lived off of our preps while I was off work. My wife is just getting back to work after being off for a month due to illness, preps got us thru.

    I raise a garden so I can be self sufficient and because I enjoy it. I teach my wife, kids and grand-kids to be self sufficient so they can take care of themselves when I am not around. It is not about what you give your kids and grand-kids, it is what you teach them to do for themselves. A father’s job is to teach his kids to survive and thrive.

  19. We are preparing for financial problems & grid down.

    Once in awhile we look at health as DH is 80 & I will be 75 next month. Related to the latter we stock a walker, canes, toileting equipment & trying to get ahead on meds.

    When grandchildren come to stay we teach them survival skills like gardening, canning, sewing etc. We are fortunate that we live away from large cities, earthquake, & tornado zones. We just have the Canadian prairies winter cold but we keep 3 yrs. wood on hand plus we keep about 3 yrs. propane for back up heat. Each year we add to both of those.

    Even if DH has to slow down on the wood cutting we will likely be able between us put up some for a few more years.

    For those that live in bad zones & really want to get out of there but have little cash I have recently read about several families who looked for owner backed purchases & were able to get 5 acres or less this way with little or no money down & were able to become debt free & out of some kinds of hazards. Took a little looking & work but with that & their imagination it worked for them.

    1. One thing that I’ve seen in the past is house trading–people own their homes, or have a mortgage, and find someone who is willing to trade. I don’t know the details, but I have seen this happen several times. A young family traded their small condo in a more expensive area for a larger home of an older couple who were ready to downsize. Value for value, but still. It’s a possibility. It might get people closer to where they want to be without risking the loss of value in a sale.

  20. Increasing economic chaos, of whatever type. Food, clothing, making sure that the property can be used under any circumstances. Replacing ornamentals with food or medicine production, reducing water use. Setting up for gray water use. Electrical and water independence to the extent possible. Solar is a possibility, but it’s going to have to wait.

    No matter what happens–earthquakes, grid down (EMP or hacking), war, pandemic–it will result in a decreased ability to get what we need. Self sufficiency will be absolutely necessary.

  21. I think it’s just wise to keep preps on hand for any type of SHTF moment. But like many of you, I am more and more aware of becoming more self-sufficient. I think that is the key to long-term survival. We may not be able to do absolutely everything, but will find others to trade or barter with in the future. Your preps will eventually run out.

    Planting our orchard of many types of fruit trees was the first thing we did when buying our place, even before we moved here. This year we put in small fruit gardens all over the place, that being blueberries, grapes, raspberries, and blackberries. Oh, and currants. We put in strawberry beds last year. Looking for some types of nut trees, tho there are walnut trees down the road.

    Also, our greenhouse we put up last year was one of the best things we did! Grew greens over the winter, no lights were necessary, but we did need heat. Conclusion, depending on where you live, what you already have or still need, will determine your own preps.

    Best to all.

  22. We prep for the only thing we can be certain of, economic collapse, and figure the results of that aren’t going to be a great deal different from several other calamities that might befall us.

    In any of the scenarios listed commerce will stop, people will be starving, martial law will go into effect, and those who saw the handwriting on the wall won’t be respected for their forethought, but hated as hoarders.

    Our kids and grand-kids are scattered from Miami to Seattle, with the closest in Dallas. We assume we’re prepping for them, with little hope they’d get here in anything but a financial crisis.

  23. Quote from Ken:

    “Preparing for worst-case scenarios is not just filling your pantry and going about your business. It’s about a lifestyle change that betters your odds when there are little or no external resources to help you, and when there are forces that are working against you…

    …food for thought.”

    Very true…and I also like how you mentioned a typical progression:
    3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months, and on…

    If one believes there is not going to be a global re-set, then one may not have the motivation to prepare or learn past a three day emergency.

    As often said here before beware of the normalcy bias….

    This mind set and subsequent lifestyle comes, I think, after one comes to an acceptance of the risks to and weaknesses in our global system of commerce.

    Not all things global are bad of course, there is definite benefit from global commerce, however we should not completely throw out local and individual sustainability.

    I drove for 40 minutes to a specialty grocery store today which I do rarely. I am thankful for the items I got.

    Driving home, I was deeply aware that so much of suburbia depend on JIT, not much at all is made or grown locally for such as large suburban area. Heck some plans won’t even let you grow a garden!

    Have we in “modern society” seriously or at least largely given up such great knowledge on how to feed and clothe ourselves?

    Though if you are here on this site many are moving towards sustainability.
    And not many can do it “all”, but know what you can do and learn and carefully find like minded people who can be in your “tribe” or group if you wish to go that route.

    Many blessings to all reading here…
    I am grateful for this site and listening and learning from you all.May God bless you in every way, and multiply your strength, wisdom, and resources
    Peace~

  24. It’s very simple. We have zero extended family. All are either dead or estranged for decades. Both sides. It’s just us four, three really if you count only those who are reliable. Any friends we have are themselves, just scraping by. So basically we are exposed to anything and everything that might happen, without any support or people to fall back on.

    This means we must then be adequately prepared to deal with, anything and/or everything that could possibly disrupt our lives. Anything from unemployment, to global therm o-nuclear war, or anything in between. It’s just the way its always been.

  25. The leader of North Korea would like nothing more then to hit the United States with one of his Nukes. Sooner or later he will do something to cause all out war.

    If the GRID goes down for three or four weeks in the area of multiple Nuclear Power plants, then I fear for the lack of back-up power for hundreds of cooling pumps. Then we will experience melt-downs as seen in Japan. Much of which is censored now. So this is some of what I am prepping for. About 300sqr feet of underground space. Supplies for maybe three weeks. Did some research on how long one can be exposed to different gamma radiation levels, for short trips outside for various reasons.

    Ken is on the mark of 9 out of 10 will surely die!

    1. Epo 333, nuclear plants are self sustaining, they feed into the grid they don’t require power from the grid to function but if the big quakes rattle them like Japan that’s another story.

      1. Uuuuugggghhhh…..you may want to do a little more research on that. Just sayin’.

  26. As any combat veteran will tell you, you can be as prepped as you can possibly be, but you also have to be just plain LUCKY to survive.(But, of course, you still have to be as ready as you can possibly be.)

    And, when and if you do happen to survive, you will be wracked with ‘survivor’s guilt’.
    ‘GOOD LUCK!

    1. Every battle plan is perfect. Until the first shot is fired. Stay flexible. Adapt to the fight.

  27. I prepare for economic problems. I believe that the next time it will be a huge global failure. We’ve just seen Puerto Rico take a fall, sounds like Japan might be next along with several of the EU countries. I think that we will see bank holidays.

    With the politics this year I can see that we could have some of those “shelter in place” moments.

    In my situation there is only so much I can do. No family back up – seems more like what little family I have would only show up for some hand outs.

  28. Pandemic scares the c–p out of me. Spanish flu at the end of WW1 was killing 250,000 a day. Avian (bird) flu could mutate and cross over to humans. Figure 1/3 of the nation gets it and close to 2/3 of them die with treatment.

    Treatment usually involves mechanical ventilators and my county of 30,000 might be able to find 20 ventilators. That wouldn’t go far if 10,000 of us came down with it. I’d hunker down and pray. During the Spanish flu nurses were being kidnapped at gunpoint to care for sick family unable to get into the hospitals.

    I sometimes wonder if it might be “convenient” to release a strain of whatever to thin the herd. I would hope that our government wouldn’t do so but if they ever start pushing to vaccinate I think I’d get the shot. My stepson and his welfare queen of a wife both know that big pharma is behind the autism spike. I kind of doubt it. They would refuse the vaccine. They live on EBT, WIC, HUD and Oregon Health Plan.

    There are so many just like them and they are sinking our boat. No money for anything for family but figure a way to get the cash for their marijuana since it is legal in Oregon. I’m not anti weed but I am anti paying for everything else so they can afford it.

    JD, Do you live in Jefferson? I agree about the wall but I think we need two.
    One at Eugene and the other one somewhere south of Eureka. Problem is we would trap a few good people up there and some more down there.

    I also worry about financial collapse and a grid down scenario. With financial collapse being my biggest concern.

    1. Me: There are somewhere around 450 labs in the U.S. that are storing/studying weapons grade biological viruses (Anthrax, yellow fever, bubonic plague, smallpox etc.). Some of the people working/running these labs believe that the human race has harmed the earth and the only way for the earth to heal itself is for 90% of the human population to go away.

      If we ever do have a collapse then, it maybe the excuse that they need to release those viruses.

      1. May I recommend a book you may really enjoy…..Last Gasp by Trevor ????? On Amazon for about $2 used.

      2. I’m negatively amused at these people who tell me that we need to “thin the herd” and that the ideal population of the earth is 200 million. Then they usually follow up by a spiel about how that will happen–what, they think they’ll be part of the 200 mil? Not likely!

        1. Lauren, I concur on thinning the herd! My concern is that others among the TPTB do not. As I look at our world and remember my reference to the sinking boat. There are those that chart the course, others who captain the boat and those of us poor slobs that are doing the rowing. Many of the rest are just along for the ride.
          Personally I don’t want to be thinned be it by pandemic, nuclear war, drought, famine, economic collapse or whatever. I’m just saying that if the government starts pushing for vaccination they are probably trying to keep the workers alive.

        2. Lauren,I should have added, after rowing for 45 years I figure I deserve a place in the life raft.
          Living in area that would be affected if the Cascadia fault goes I do keep an inflatable dingy in the backyard!

          Antique collector. Jefferson, more of a state of mind……….for now! Hopefully we will be able to make it happen sometime in the not to distant future.

    2. me:
      Good Morning: Well you are not alone, we live in the State of Jefferson. Probably not far from your area. Above the phew trenches of Sac and S of the border. In a county that once was conservative, but has over the years gone to the dark side. We are out there, hiding in plain sight.

      1. Antique Collector, I have been a silent reader for a while. I think we may live in the same area. We have been preppers long before the word became popular. I was raised this way, on the same property we now live on. We are conservative couple, living around a lot of craziness. I refuse to be ran off , so like you we live in plain sight. Would very much like to know other like minded people to connect with in our area!

  29. Financial collapse first, quickly followed by civil unrest (because their EBT cards won’t work and they’re hungry and they don’t have any food stocked up).

    Which will then trigger the terrorists/sleeper cells to activate and attack targets of on their list/opportunity. Which will give the Gov. the excuse to declare martial law.

  30. I performed a risk analysis of the probable scenarios in the past Five years:

    1. Number One and most likely for me and my family is a social breakdown as a result of the collapse of the Dollar and the world economy and am preparing accordingly.

    2. Number Two on my list would be a natural disaster and/or man-made disaster to include terrorist attacks and bad weather to name two.

    3. Number Three and most likely will not happen in the near future is everything else…like a pandemic, EMP (either nuclear or solar) and/or a grid down situation like a cyber attack on the electrical grid or Internet/communications.

    I believe that if Number Three takes place, most of us (like 95%) will not survive, therefore, time and effort preparing will be futile not to mention very expensive (wife and I are in our late 60’s). A family or community will need a large cave or underground facility with proper stores and ventilation to survive a real serious event or events (like our federal government is preparing for). Numbers One and Two are doable and we are preparing for this likelihood.

    We are preparing like its the 1890’s. Food storage and production, water storage and purification, medical supplies and emergency treatment, energy storage and the ability to produce energy, survival skills, operational security, hording gold/silver and community building.

    Like the Web site.

  31. A major event will set off a financial collapse. At some point, Martial Law will be declared… How long will the troops/LE enforcing the ML last if they are not paid or fed? If events get really bad, most of them will leave their units to go home to protect their families…. Then things will get interesting….. You prepare to outlive those that didn’t.

    Google to see what is going on in Venezuela… Could this be a foretelling of what could happen here after an Economic collapse or a major SHTF event???

    1. You are probably right 21Bravo. I look for a horrible earthquake and then our collapse like you said.

    2. Hey 21B,

      Your comments about Venezuela are dead on. I have seen and read many articles about what is going on down there.

      Something I heard the other day about when TPTB declare Martial Law and the LE/US Military don’t show up to for duty is the possibility of having several hundred thousand Cuban military showing up in a matter of hours.

      Something to think about since Ocrapo is trying to warm up to the communist party there. Who’s to say Ocrapo hasn’t already made a deal with them. It only 90 miles from Cuba to Fl.

      Adapt and Overcome.

      1. The problem with that scenario is the number of armed and ready veterans, gun enthusiasts, etc. One reason we have never been invaded is because of the very real fear of “A gun behind every tree.” They would need to disarm us first, and wipe out communications so that news of the invasion didn’t get to the population.

      2. The Cuban Military is in an extremely sad state of disrepair. There has been an on going dispute between Castro and Putin’s regime. Cuba owes Russia $20 Billion from aid during the Cold War. Cuba claims it was owed to the old USSR not Russia. Cuba gets very little military aid from them. Chavez (Vz) used to give Cuba oil. Now that he is gone combined, with the oil price drop, I don’t think they are getting aid from Vz. The USAF would have to airlift that many Cuban troops into the US. It is a possibility and I would never underestimate the Marxist POS that is in office.

    3. Argentina’s economy is crashing and in the middle of a social collapse. Read where Argentina is experiencing 550% inflation. They are also rationing their electricity. This is not good. Can this happen in the US? I would estimate YES but probably on a smaller scale?
      Prepare for the coming reset. The good news is that we have time to prepare. Recommend that we make good use of it.

  32. There are times I believe that what Robert Louis Stevenson’s book ‘Treasure Island’s’ pirate Long John Silver said to the island survivors, “Thems that dies will be the lucky ones.”, is a correct forecast.

  33. Financial collapse first, followed by grid down, followed by martial law, followed by tyrannical dictatorship or possible invasion. That’s not the order of what I prepare for, but the order it will likely happen.

    I have prepped for over a decade (which really is not long enough to be ready). I did not used to prep to bug out due to my remote and very defensible location. We are now prepping to bug out from .gov tyranny, which is likely coming.

    Never register or turn in your weapons. The Constitution is a contract between government and The People. If the government changes that contract without the consent of The People, it is no longer valid.

  34. “What are we preparing for?”

    There are too many things that could happen at any time. I guess our biggest fear is a full on EMP sending everything back to basically the stone age. Very hard times afterwards.

    But we prepare so that hopefully we can survive the bad event and not need any assistance from others especially the government. Whatever happens I see the government as the biggest threat. Are we as self sufficient as many of you out there? Nope. Many of you have some great homesteads going. We are not so lucky at our current location but we have good plans for our BOL.

    I guess to quote others here, who have posted we prepare in case we survive and hope that luck will be on our side.

    We have to do something for our children to survive through the upcoming bad times, and they are coming. Especially if the Hildebeast becomes our next president.

    Adapt and Overcome.

    1. BTW. I heard on the radio today that our government sent over $770 million to help rebuild mosques in the middle east. WTF! Anyone who thinks this president doesn’t hate America and all of us here needs to really do some research.

      Our .gov does nothing while Christians are being slaughtered but sends money to rebuild mosques. We are in so much trouble and there is nothing that can fix it other than a total reset.

      Be well all.
      Adapt and Overcome.

      1. Good point. $770 million to rebuild mosques. How about 1.1 BILLION to combat zika virus. How much was spent to stop the west Nile Virus?(I believe its still alive and well!) How much was spent to stop Ebola? Whether it’s mosques or mosquito’s, it’s all the same. Obviously we are not smart enuff to have a say in how the money is spent.

        OK…I will now try to be Mr. Obvious. $770 million for mosques, 1.1 billion to combat Zika virus. There are about 330 million sheeple in the good ole USofA. If you take 770 million and split that between us, wouldn’t that mean we all would get a check of around 2 million each????????? Then take 1.1 BILLION and split that evenly among us, that would be???????? How much per American citizen??? I can’t do the math, because my calculator just melted. Thank God I balanced my check book before I melted my calculator doing the gov’t math, and I am happy to say that my family has $87.52 left over to last one week from tomorrow.

        As long as I don’t mind making a late payment on the required homeowners insurance.(trying to still be an upstanding American citizen) It sucks that we have to buy birthday presents for 2 of our grand-kids, but I am sure they will understand once I explain it to them.

        By the way, do you remember the stimulus thing they did a couple years ago?? Too bad they don’t do the math the same as I do!

        1. Actually the amount per person would be around 2 dollars, not 2 million dollars. Still too much, though. Taxpayers should not have to support a foreign religion in a foreign country!
          When will this president do SOMETHING to actually HELP THIS COUNTRY??
          Every decision they make is based on politics first, and the premise that the only evils in the world are conservative political opponents.
          Sorry about your calculator…

        2. Please disregard my post last nite. I had a back ache and took a sleeping pill. Apparently I got up and turned on the tablet. Sorry for the incoherent rambling. I was able to retrieve my calculator from the trash can today.
          Note To Self: Don’t sleep and blog!

      2. 11HE9
        Thank you for the links to the troubles down south. I was wondering where I would find them.

  35. Nothing in particular, pretty much just good common sense backup supplies. Stuff happens, all kindsa stuff. We live on an island in the pacific totally dependent on the outside world…
    What could possibly go wrong!

  36. Economic collapse is coming. It is inevitable that the house of cards will fall.DH and I are preparing for that.

    So many of you are right in pointing out that some scenarios we cannot survive. DH doesn’t relish hiding in our crawlspace even for a few days if there’s a nuke. We’re in our 60s.

    Love this blog and read it often even if I don’t comment much.You are all the “good people”. Trying to prep for bad times and keep up your spirits can be done. Love your wisdom.

    1. Pojo, Thanks for your comment. Yes it is very evident that the economic collapse (house of cards) is coming, and its interesting to note that most comments here are indicating agreement.

      When so many people are on ‘the same page’, there’s definitely something to it…

  37. Something always jumps up and reminds me to keep a stocked pantry.
    Blizzards, Hurricane, and personal economic disasters.

    I am too old to learn any more lessons the hard way, so I collect stuff that would come in handy in many different scenarios.

    I try to prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.
    I enjoy living, but understand that we all gotta die sometime.

    I will refuse to die on my knees, though.

    I suspect that whatever causes the balloon to go up, our government will attempt the ultimate overreach, and there will be bloodshed.

    Unless my door is the first one to be smashed in by gov’t thugs or looters, I feel like I’ve got a fighting chance to survive.

    Plan your work, and work your plan.
    Have some backup plans, too.

  38. I’m so glad I found this site, hoping to get some input. I live in PA now, I think the applechian mtn area. I used to joke with my dad years ago that if there were a tsunami we would have ocean front property. Looking back that was really not funny. Especially after sandy hit the east coast. But I’ve been worried bout the big tsunami that’s coming. Does anyone know how far inland its expected to reach ? And who would I contact to find out the altitude of area I live in? I’m bout an hr or hr and half from NYC and same from jersey shore.? Think I should move west a bit more? Have some home repairs needed to b done n landscaping I been wanting to get done but never have any money left after paying the bills. I would appreciate any help anyone had to offer.

    1. What is wrong with ocean front property??? No more getting stuck in traffic on the GS Parkway going to the shore….

      Look for a Topographical Survey map of PA…

  39. None of the above scenarios bother me much. For one, I think they are extremely unlikely.

    I also believe that societies and people are much more capable of bouncing back even from such large disasters, and do not subscribe to the doom and gloom theories of the consequences. I have lived without electricity, without water, with food shortages, etc. It’s not as dramatic as people who haven’t lived through it imagine.

    More importantly for me however, I don’t think one can actually prepare for such massive and long term events. I’ve lived through a complete economic and political collapse of a society (Eastern Europe), and I find food storage, bugout retreats, gardens, and things like that to be inadequate preparations. In my experience, after a large scale collapse, society is rebuilt by high level agency heads (NSA, CIA, etc), military commanders, and organized crime leaders, not by hard working people who have stored food and a garden.

    I prepare for what I consider likely events: hurricanes, floods, limited infrastructure failure due to man made disasters (9/11, etc). For me that means having resources for a month. On top of that, I garden, I collect rain water, etc, but I do not consider those to be realistic preps for any event longer than a month. I do that just for fun.

  40. Hi…first time visits on your website. Great informative website you got here. For me, i believe that the most likely SHTF scenario is every man made electricity stops working and that is the most terrifying thing can happened to modern guman history. We will revert back to the life of medieval society. Be it human made or natural disaster, the result is the same (Revolution tv series). What im worried about is nuclear plan and radioactive storage failures. Ia there any map to know where will be the worse radioactive area if that happened?

  41. For me the greatest fears are crime, terrorism, the grid being wiped out or compromised. I believe we will see gangs of armed thugs in the streets, social unrest which will include assaults, murders, kidnappings, car jackings, etc. as previously unseen. I get a flu shot each year to mitigate pandemic risks. I avoid crowds wherever possible, and have become more of a homebody as I get older. I don’t window shop or go to restaurants or movies. I watch movies at home. I try to keep distance between myself and strangers especially the younger generation. I stick to my own demographic of middle aged people with similar interests. I don’t and have never gone to night clubs. I do a lot of online shopping. I exercise with middle aged people. I believe there is a dangerous underclass of addicted people and organized crime is making a ton of tax free money. Fentanyl is and will cause more social problems.

  42. I am only concerned about the next 30 years and am thankful that I do not have children to worry about. I believe that more social unrest is coming as every group seems to hate each other group. I expect a grid issue that will stop traffic supplies, city services, ground flights, etc. people will need to self segregate into their own groups of families, friends, similar demographics, for safety. Public transit will be halted. More people will stay home.

  43. My greatest fear, (and the one I am most prepared for) is a prolonged Total Grid Down event, caused by hackers or sabotage.
    (I am not prepared for a total Grid-Down caused by an EMP – since I think that is a a lesser threat.)

    I am prepared far better and for much a longer duration than most – for at least two years in ALL aspects.

    However, I recently started to think of a very real possibility that could totally disrupt much of what I have prepped for.

    I live in a very remote area, relatively few people, but there is a “Summer Camp” for young people less than a mile away.
    There are upwards of 200 “visitors” each week from June thru the end of July each summer.

    If a Grid Down S.H.T.F. event happened during that time period – then what ?

    How are they transported back to their homes ?
    There certainly is not enough food available there to last very long, then what ?
    The camp owner and the young people’s parents should have thought of – and prepared for that possibility long ago,
    – – but I’m certain that is not the case.

    Of course, the type of S.H.T.F event and it’s duration will determine what happens. That is why I used a prolonged Grid Down for this example. Some other events would no doubt not be nearly as severe as what I describe.

    This peaceful, remote, area would instantly look like a large city – based on population per square mile.
    I’m sure, at first, the situation would not be as bad as major riots in any large city, but for how long?

    I will TOTALLY defend my home and supplies from ANYONE caught in that scenario – – any preps I have would otherwise be the equivalent of a wheat field in the path of a swarm of locusts.
    Yes, it is not their fault, but not mine either. No different that a S.H.T.F. event in any large city.
    Call me brutal, uncaring, or worse. I will look out for no one except yours truly in that case.

    I’m sure some of the locals would probably help them out – – but for how long and at what cost to their own survival?

    O.K. , vent over. I hope this never happens.

    1. Ozarks Hermit,

      Therein lies the conundrum I find in my own prepping. I’m a Christian first, a prepper second. My priorities are pleasing God and providing for my loved ones. Many commenters speak of the extent they will go to to protect their provisions stockpiled for the unthinkable. I’ve agonized over that, too.

      I’ve been ridiculed by some when sharing the conclusion I’ve come to on that subject. The Bible repeatedly tells us how we should treat those around us. I could list many verses, but believers already know them, unbelievers won’t honor them.

      I believe, from personal experience, that God is with you, right by your side, every moment of your life, whether you ever acknowledge that presence or not. I believe He gives you guidance if you will accept it, and He will allow you to suffer the consequences if you ignore Him.

      This is from a man who has lived a life filled with violent, life threatening encounters. I firmly believe I would not have survived to this day without His love for me, despite my shortcomings. I have experienced victories when I obeyed His warnings (some folks call it conscience), and I’ve suffered when I ignored Him and did things my way instead of heeding Him.

      My conclusion? If things go south in a disastrous way, I will treat visitors to my door, WHO COME IN PEACE looking for my help, the same way I would like to be treated if I found myself to be the one in need.

      Foolish? Only if I profess to believe in God, but not His promises. This gives me peace in my mind on this subject.

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