# You have a 4 hour window before things go south...



## illinoisguy (Sep 4, 2011)

would you hunker down knowing you have enough and just use that time to mentally prepare....? ....or would you venture out to top things off? The assumption is you have a good solid 4 hours without trouble....

My first thought is....

Go to box stores or walmart and rake enough canned meats off the shelf into the cart to top it off, buy several boxes of ammo.....not sure what else? That extra food will likely be for extended family anyway.....

Currently my gas tanks are topped off along with gas cans.......I am not really sure what else....

I got to thinking about this...the only thing I could thing of was canned meat and ammunition.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

I would buy all the Tequila that I could find in four hours.


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## DaveNay (Nov 25, 2012)

illinoisguy said:


> Go to box stores or walmart and rake enough canned meats off the shelf into the cart to top it off


Considering how slow checkout usually is at Walmart, you'd probably exceed your four hour window.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

What I would do would depend upon what's to happen at the end of those 4 hours.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

If no one knew I had preps, I probably wouldn't risk going to a public place and taking the chance of someone from the area seeing me stocking up.

There's quite a bit to consider other than what you want to buy.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

illinoisguy said:


> would you hunker down knowing you have enough and just use that time to mentally prepare....? ....or would you venture out to top things off? The assumption is you have a good solid 4 hours without trouble....
> 
> My first thought is....
> 
> ...


If you have Gas stocked ... How much Oil do you have on hand?

What about ATF?


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Probably just keep doing whatever I was doing. 

Granted, what "going south" event it was could be a factor...nukes heading for NY, snow storm, terror attack...nah, original answer still stands.

Matt


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Does everyone know or just you? That would greatly affect traffic and the road/speed I would take to get to our other place. 20 min to get loaded and 3 or so hours to get moved.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

*For the want of a nail the shoe was lost,
For the want of a shoe the horse was lost,
For the want of a horse the rider was lost,
For the want of a rider the battle was lost,
For the want of a battle the kingdom was lost,
And all for the want of a horseshoe-nail.*


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## BlackFeather (Jun 17, 2014)

The way things work for me is that I'd never know I had 4 hours till they were long past. It depends, if everyone else is out there then no I'd stay home, if it was normal out there then I'd get the really important stuff like candy. A side point, if the stores are crammed, and protein was important, I'd probably go to our GNC and buy up protein powder. I don't think many would think of that, and the store wouldn't be on the top of anyones list of places to go.


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

I guess if there was only 4 hours and everyone knew about it, I would stay home. The shelves would be empty in the stores and I am sure violence would break out during that time; it would not be worth it. If there only 4 hours left and very few would know that is different. I think it is safe to say that in the world we live in a lot of people would be clueless and it would be safe to venture out to buy things. I would break up the trip and go to several stores buying a "normal" amount of groceries for a family of 5. 

I could only imagine the panic and behavior if everyone did know there was a limited time left. It is bad enough trying to get a few groceries before a storm hits. I would hate to see things in a shtf situation.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

illinoisguy said:


> would you hunker down knowing you have enough and just use that time to mentally prepare....? ....or would you venture out to top things off? The assumption is you have a good solid 4 hours without trouble....


*(1) IF *I had 4 hours* AND *I was the only one who knew in 4 hours the wheels were gonna fall off........

Depending on the event, I would purchase what ever I was lacking to prepare me for success thru the event. I would spend the majority of the 4 hours making the needed purchases, then doing what was needed for the event.

*(2) IF *I had 4 hours *AND everyone *knew what was going to happen in 4 hours.

Not go to big box stores....that's for dern sure.
Get w/ my gf's and find out what they have an pool our resources for the event.


*(3) DEPENDING *on the event (weather related, civil unrest, etc) would depend on what I am doing. *ALSO *where I am living when this goes down would determine what I am doing.......

Weather related, depending on the event, will depend if I fly solo, or combine efforts w/ my kids-friends.
Civil event, round up close friends and kids, and hunker down.


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## brosil (Dec 15, 2003)

Everybody focuses on protein. You don't really need that much. Rice will keep you going a long time.


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## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

We are 3 hours from the nearest center with services that can supply everything needed. So If I had to depend on 3/4 of the 4 hours, to GET to the city, I guess I won't have much time to shop and get home.

I honestly can not think of anything I would need. Tens of thousands of lbs of game meat roaming my land? Check. Thousands of cords of wood in my woodlands? Check. ammunition? Check. Knives and sharpeners? Check. Gas and diesel? Check. Feed for the animals for a LONG time? Check. Distance from the urbanites? Check. Cold enough weather to store perishables for 6 months starting now? Check.

I feel like a nap.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

In that four hours, we would start stringing the spools of barbed wire from tree to tree just inside the woods that surround our yard. And, we would make sure the motion detector cameras all had fresh batteries.


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## Explorer (Dec 2, 2003)

Nothing. It was about a month and a couple thousand miles after 9-11 before I found out about that event. No adverse effects on my life.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I&#8217;d need to take a few minutes to let it sink in. Then, I would dash around the house to see what we have. I&#8217;d start writing a list. On the way to the store I would make phone calls to loved ones to see if they are coming to my place and tell them what to bring and how to pack it.

The nearest grocery store is a Mennonite store that sells in bulk. I&#8217;d get flour, rice, and so on. Depending on if we will loose electricity and what time of year it is, I&#8217;d buy meat. Dash around store, it&#8217;s small, and pick up what I need from it. I imagine I would be most concerned with food. I&#8217;d also look for candles and flashlights. We prefer the wind up flashlights, but a couple extra would not hurt. I have a list of things you need when the lights go off and I&#8217;d go from there. I&#8217;d need more canning jars and lids.

We do not have a generator. This is fine for a few days, but assuming this will last longer than a few days, we would need one for the well pump as well as the freezer and refrigerator. At some point we would not need it for the refrigerator and we&#8217;d use it for the freezer and pump only. If it was winter, we would need it for the well pump but also for the hot water heater, which is our source of heat. It is a propane model, but you still need electricity to run it and run the pump for it.

If it happened at our new house, which is an old house, I&#8217;d do the same thing, but it is in town and I could dash to the grocery store and hardware as well as the Self Serve Lumber pretty quickly. We should not need a generator because the city has it&#8217;s own generator which it runs when power from Detroit Edison goes out. However, the city&#8217;s generator is run on diesel so I think it would still be prudent to have a generator if the power was going to be out for months, or never come back on.

We stock up and could eat for several weeks on what we have, but we would not have fresh fruit or vegetables. We do have a garden, but in the winter, that&#8217;s not going to work well, I count on the store to supply me with greens. However, with our little greenhouse we can have kale almost all year round.

I would be very concerned about my siblings and mother. One sister lives nearby in a small town, but the other nine siblings and my mother are all in cities, only three of them in this state. One DD lives nearby, but the other two are in cities. I would want them to pack up and come here.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

Depends on what gonna happen, how long it's going to last, and if the zombies are expected. 

I have lots of components but not a lot of loaded ammo. Probably break out the loaders and make several thousand rounds of ammo for the rifles, pistol, and 12 ga.


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## tonasket (Oct 20, 2004)

I would use that 4 hours to fill up our water tanks, make sure we have a good amount of fuel for vehicles/generator. I'd split hubby and me up, different lists, different stores. I'd call our daughter to come to our home with her supplies. I'd sit quietly for a bit, and think, mentally prepare and pray.


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

That would be just about enough time for the creeks above and below my place to "washout" the road and make it more convenient for folks to drive the other way


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## Swampfox (Dec 3, 2015)

LMAO, you all are hilarious ! Have you ever seen the Hunger Games ? Walmart is the cornucopia and all that stuff is only there to suck you in to the kill zone. Run ! Run and run quickly for high ground with a water supply. I will look to the hills from which cometh my strength ! Walmart ? LMAO !


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## no really (Aug 7, 2013)

The 4 hour window would be used for the final steps already decided on. No need to go to any kind of store, that is taken care of.


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## illinoisguy (Sep 4, 2011)

This was a question posed to everyone else to basically help me.....My thoughts were limited to food and ammo.....I got a whole lot more out of this thread......

The question was that you had a four hour jump on everyone else. In a crap hitting the fan scenario, everyone will become preppers....but likely a few hours into the situation.


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## TripleD (Feb 12, 2011)

illinoisguy said:


> This was a question posed to everyone else to basically help me.....My thoughts were limited to food and ammo.....I got a whole lot more out of this thread......
> 
> The question was that you had a four hour jump on everyone else. In a crap hitting the fan scenario, everyone will become preppers....but likely a few hours into the situation.


Now I get it I got a four hour jump on everyone else. All preps from point C would remain there and become point B. All preps from point B would be moved to point A / Home Base. I wont need anything for a while.


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## 1sttimemom (Mar 1, 2005)

Really depends on what type of situation & who knows, etc. Around here storm forecasts can cause our small stores shelved to the EMPTY of milk, bread, etc in very short time. 

Assuming we are going to shelter in place type deal and safe to go in public...

Walmart is nearly an hour away so I might venture to the local Dollar General (assuming during open hours) and stock on some more canned & dry goods, OTC meds, and also stop at gas station and fill every gas container I could. I would have hubby and kids at home topping all livestock water tanks & other water storage containers.


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## HillBettyMama (Aug 29, 2015)

As to sit around and do absolutely nothing I intend to pick up some more camping fuel next time I am at the store. If no one knew about the four hour window but myself I think I would go to the store but I'm not sure. With a herd of little kids even a simple shopping trip might exceed my four hour limit. Hmm, I guess I better get some more camping fuel ASAP. 
Oh I know what I would do! I would spend those four hours googling how to cook with a camp stove inside with no odor. If the smell of food wafts from my apartment then all the neighbors might think I have food. Any suggestions to save me from spending my last four hours before the shtf googling it?


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

A 4 hour head start would enable me to load animals and completely empty the house of food/meds and other essentials into vehicles. That would also give me enough time to get to our other place, unload animals and run back down the mountain to buy extra hay, I think. Of course if it happens AFTER we retire in a few years we'll already be there and will just have to pick up extra hay and wait for the kids to get there.


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## Mrs. Thankful (Dec 4, 2013)

I would get all of my prescriptions refilled.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Fuel, hard to have too much of it, not hard to max the credit cards buying it.


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## Jlynnp (Sep 9, 2014)

I would pick up three or four more propane tanks. Make sure all gas cans are full. Make sure everything here is set for what ever happens.


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## tree-farmer (Jul 5, 2015)

HillBettyMama said:


> As to sit around and do absolutely nothing I intend to pick up some more camping fuel next time I am at the store. If no one knew about the four hour window but myself I think I would go to the store but I'm not sure. With a herd of little kids even a simple shopping trip might exceed my four hour limit. Hmm, I guess I better get some more camping fuel ASAP.
> Oh I know what I would do! I would spend those four hours googling how to cook with a camp stove inside with no odor. If the smell of food wafts from my apartment then all the neighbors might think I have food. Any suggestions to save me from spending my last four hours before the shtf googling it?


Beware of carbon monoxide. I know when the power went out during a major ice storm in eastern Canada about a decade ago, families died because they brought the barbecue inside for heat.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

tree-farmer said:


> Beware of carbon monoxide. I know when the power went out during a major ice storm in eastern Canada about a decade ago, families died because they brought the barbecue inside for heat.


A propane camp stove won't do anything more than a propane kitchen stove. I use mine inside during holidays when I run out of burners on the kitchen stove.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

I'd call my sisters, and tell them to go to town and stock up, and be home quickly... no chatting....

We'd both go to town, with trailers.... I'd get as many pallets of whole corn, sweet feed, and dog food that I could load up. Other trailer would do the same.... probably nothing but corn. Good on everything else.

Hunkering down? Good strategy, but even in a fast and furious fall, it'd take I'd imagine at least a day for the recognition that the S had indeed hit the Fan... then, it'd be the grocery stores wiped out. Little reason for any prepper to 'need' to top off, but human nature being what it is, why not. I know all the roads around here, and back roads, and hunting roads..... doubtful any type of roadblock resistance would occur for days... military presence? Doubtful. Need to get through roadblocks? Slap an oilfield sticker on your rig, and get a pass...........for, as long as there's any chance of revival, oil and gas needs to flow...


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I pretty much have everything I need right here at home.. It's takes well over an hour round trip for me to go anywhere that has anything.. why bother?
Heck.. I even have my own oil well, and if it REALLY got down to it, I bet I could figure out how to crack off the gasoline..


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

For a couple of weeks, response #2 above keeps dripping into my thoughts. I could use a shot right now. 

I am determined that this is going to be a great day.


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Good thoughts, but the reality is very few of us are going to have a lead time that no one else will know.

Best to be preparing all the time in the here and now, for no one knows the time.


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## kemps (Oct 21, 2015)

If it was a lead no one else had I would hit the bank, go get my prescriptions at the pharmacy then get over the counter meds and as much water as I can (water preps are a little harder for me as I am in a small space atm). If others had the lead then I'd hit unconventional stores for supplies and for sure I'd get some booze!


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